One Big Happy Family
by The Forgotten Nobody
Summary: After a rescue mission K-Unit are horrified at what Alex has been through so decide to take him into their flat to recover as Jack is gone and MI6 are now his legal Guardians. Full Summery inside. Sequel posted!
1. Prolouge

**Full summery: After a rescue mission K-Unit are horrified at what Alex has been through so decide to take him in to their flat while he is recovering as Jack is gone. Unfortunately the people who captured Alex in the first place aren't happy and want their revenge. Scorpia never forgive, scorpia never forget. **

**Now I know this sort of thing has been done a lot but I hope to make this different as much as possible and I have always wanted to do this. The amount of support I get for this depends if I carry on and this is only the prologue, a teaser of a sort, other chapters will be longer and hopefully interesting. **

"Remember, we go in, find the agent and get out again. No stopping to fight and no going off. This is just a retrieval mission and nothing more now move!"

Wolf watched as his unit moved in to find the agent they had been sent to bring back. He had no idea what the agent actually looked liked but he supposed it wouldn't be hard to guess, just find the person who was in the cell and that was them, simple.

Fox nodded to him on the way in and Wolf was silently glad that he was with them, he may have moved onto MI6 but that didn't stop the great teamwork he had with all of them, also MI6 had topped up his training so he could almost rival Wolf, but only almost.

Going into the building that was too look like an old factory but was a secret hideout for some terrorist organisation that he'd forgotten the name of they sneaked past the guards, using mostly Fox's expertise and quickly remembered the route they'd been shown to the cells.

Unfortunately they didn't remain undiscovered for the whole time and quickly had to fight two guards off but they thankfully managed to do without them alerting anyone else. This was turning out to be an alright mission in Wolf's opinion.

In no less than ten minutes they had made it too the white hallway of the cells area and they hurriedly checked each window for sign of the agent. After a while most remained empty and they were starting to get worried until Eagle looked through the third to last and spotted a shadow near the corner.

"Hey guys, I found them" he stage whispered beckoning them over.

They obliged and peered in, sure enough there was someone there and their job was almost done.

With a strong back kick Wolf just managed to dent the door and a couple more brought the door down but also the alarm. Wolf threw himself in trying to get the agent and get out as soon as possible but when he saw the shape of the person he stopped abruptly.

"What…" he said quietly.

"What is it?" asked Snake going closer to get a closer look and once he had he also stopped in his tracks.

There lying on the floor bloody and white was the body of a young man, no older that sixteen. Wounds of various forms littered around and inside his body and it made k-unit want to be sick. But that wasn't the worst part; there was something else that crept into their minds. This was the agent and they already knew him, they now knew why they of all people had got the job.

"Cub"

**Remember, reviews = more chappy's **** I will probably start the first tonight. **


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: If I had any chance of buying Alex Rider I wouldn't be writing, I'd be jumping with happiness. **

The boy they'd first met in Breacon Beacons and then in Point Blanc (of course Fox had been on a mission with him but it was confidential) was now lying on the floor in some ratty cell in a near death state and all they could just think was why him. What was a mere boy doing in an adult world, they thought Point Blanc was a one time thing but obviously not.

It was a good job the there were not guards stationed outside his room as it wouldn't have been nearly as easy but considering the state he was in it was doubtful he'd get anywhere.

Before they could dwell on it any longer the sound of footsteps alerted them to the fact if they stayed there any longer they would be caught and possibly killed.

"Let's go" commanded Wolf tearing his gaze away from the injured boy and then noticing how Snake hesitated. "Now" he added.

Snake bit his lip and answered in his noticeable Scottish accent "I don't know if he'll survive the journey, I don't know what the extent of his injuries are, it could prove to be fatal"

Wolf sighed "If we don't go now none of us have a chance, he's going to die if he stays here as well as the rest of us"

Snake glumly nodded and picked up Alex gently, it worried him at how light he was but he put that thought away for later, for now they needed to focus on getting out safely.

They moved out and ran the way they came in, luckily all the guards were stationed mostly at the other end of the building (seeing as they came through the back entrance that wasn't overly obvious), Snake was trying to keep Alex in a comfortable position but it wasn't easy.

In a shorter amount of time than it took to came in they got out of the building and made it into the jeep**[1]** that was stationed outside.

Wolf took the drivers seat and Fox got shotgun. Eagle took the back right and Snake placed Alex in the middle with his head leaning on Eagles knees. Now that they were on the move Snake had the chance to look at Alex's health in full. If the cuts and bruises were anything to go by it did not look good.

Unbuttoning his shirt Snake gasped and once Eagle had a look he did too. There were multiple circular burns dotted around his chest and marks that looked like they'd been dealt by a whip. Touching his ribs he could tell a few of them were broken and a large gash ran across his stomach that if he was pretty sure followed on around his back. There was something that could his eye though in particular. Just above his heart there was a scar that defiantly looked like a bullet wound. It seemed quite old but there was a burn mark right over it that had aggravated it so it was seeping again** [2]**.

Rather than carrying on the gruesome analysis he merely just told Wolf to step on it. This boy had been through hell and there was no way he was going to let him die. A jump and strangled scream from the boy made him pray even more.

_Alex's POV _

Nightmares, they'd plagued him for a while but they were worse now, he could actually feel the heat marking his skin in the most excruciating way possible. His lips let out a scream and he saw the faces of his captors laugh. They did that a lot; laugh at all the pain it caused him, in fact the more it hurt the funnier it was.

"You're monsters" he chocked out eyes stinging with tears.

Again, another chuckle "Now now, Alex, didn't your parents tell you monsters weren't real? Oh that's right, they're DEAD!" On the last word the burning piece of metal was pushed onto his chest once more and it took all he could do not to beg.

_MI6 Bank_

K-Unit had just left Alex at the hospital and watched him be immediately rolled into the surgery unit and now they wanted some answers. Fox had tried to tell them it would be a bad idea but no amount of persuasion would stop a caring Wolf. Normally they didn't because they were too shocked to know Wolf could actually care about someone they hardly knew but this time they were all feeling it and soon enough Fox gave in and passed the receptionist his ID card.

Up in the elevator Fox looked nervous but Eagles child like side was showing and he was fascinated by all the different places. Last time they had been briefed by the sergeant so didn't get the chance to go inside the bank. It was a whole lot different from SAS that was for sure.

The elevator stopped and opened up into a dark depressing hallway. Each step echoed and it wasn't at all welcoming. They went to the door with the guard and were about to go through when the guard put an arm out.

"Name?"  
"Agent Daniels ID number 0103**[3]**"

"Them" he gestured his head to the rest of K-Unit.

"They have recently been on a mission with me and I'm sure Mr. Blunt would want to debrief us"

Technically it wasn't a lie, probably did want t debrief them but they would just talk a bit more than necessary.

The guard nodded and allowed them through. Inside they met the hard face of the one and only Mr. Blunt and as always Mrs. Jones was right beside him sucking a peppermint.

"Agent Daniels and K-Unit, I was just about to call for you but now that is not needed, go ahead" Blunt said never showing any emotion whatsoever.

"First, we have a few questions" said Wolf, his leader instincts taking charge.

"Oh" Blunt raised an eyebrow "And what would those be"

"Well, number 1, why was the agent Cub!!! He's just a kid who should be at school with his friends, not locked in some dirty cell almost dead. Two, who did he manage to piss off and three, what do his family have to say about this?"

From Blunts right Jones sighed. She had a feeling when Wolf said about questions she would bring up his family.

"I'll answer your last question first. Alex has no family, he had a housekeeper but she recently died. Alex is also an exceedingly good spy, he was trained at a young age and he has become one of our most valuable agents. And the last question, classified"

If you'd looked hard enough at Blunts lips you could almost see a slight twitch in them at Wolf's reaction. His face had gone red and he looked as if he was about to shout something but he didn't know what. Snake did the talking for him though.

"So who are his guardians?" He had a bad feeling about what the answer would be.

"That would be us" Yep, he knew it would be bad.

"Well theirs no way he's staying here, who knows what you'll do to him! He isn't safe here!"  
"And what do you propose?" Blunt asked curious.

"He…uh…he can…."

"He can come stay with us while he recovers. I am a trained medic and I can over see his health, it would be much better than him staying here and think about it. If those people still want Alex they'll most likely come here first. If he comes with us he'll be protected by three SAS soldiers and maybe even an agent" Snake said casting a glance at Fox.

Even though they'd all been thinking it they couldn't believe they'd really consider it. It was a good idea, Wolf, Snake and Eagle (Fox at one point as well) had decided to share a flat as roommates as it would just be easier to take care of one house when they're away than three (once four).

It was a big decision too make, taking in a teenager, could they really do it? Wolf could barely even keep plants alive and yes the others could occasionally remember to water them but taking care of a living breathing person, an injured on at that, was a whole other level.

"Agreed"

Everyone's heads swivelled (even Blunt who was having a near emotion experience) to Mrs. Jones who took a deep breathe while closing her eyes.

"Like Snake said think about it Alan, it would be the safest option for him, no one would expect him to be living with three fully trained soldiers and it would be especially helpful as one of them is a qualified doctor. It really is a good option but the question is, do you think you could handle the responsibility?"

Did they really? The answer was no but they were willing to try for Cub, the boy who they'd taken bullets for and had lost everyone. In a way they were his last chance and at least the boy could take care of himself they would help, of course it wasn't permanent, Wolf really didn't like kids, but they were all determined to give it a go.

Wolf, once again taking charge nodded. "For Cub"

Each member of the original K-Unit looked at each other and then back at the MI6 leaders.

"For Cub"

**Right, that's the end of the first chapter and I should warn you now, I'm not an exceedingly long chapter writer. Ok, I try but also I try to end them well. Now I've had some criticism over my reviewing thing but the reason that I wanted reviews was too make sure people weren't sick of this category and wouldn't skip past it. Now I know they wont I won't beg or plead for reviews and I'll just have fun writing the story cos MAN IT IS FUN! Best story I've decided to write so far. Of course we all like reviews but don't worry about me wanting them until the next update and they might be irregular depending on h/w and I've got loads right now, end of a d.t project, you know. To finish of this very long Author no I leave you with the number things. **

**[1] I don't know what cars they own.**

**[2]I've never been shot and no one I know has so I'm no wound expert.**

**[3]Does anyone know how many people work at MI6 and how the system is?**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: "Do I or will I ever own the Alex Rider series"… My magic 8 ball says no ** **(p.s this is set after Snakehead as I have not read all of crocodile tears, only on the first chappy lol****)**

After is was agreed that after Alex was in a stable enough condition he would go and live with K-Unit Blunt debriefed them and they were free to go. Blunt had even allowed them a period of four months to stay in the country away from active duty so they could take care of him but of course that didn't mean they got out of doing paper work.

Back out in the fresh air which was like godsend after being in that stuffy bank Eagle asked the ever important question "What do we do now?"

"Well I doubt Cub's going to be out of surgery anytime soon so we might as well get his room ready. I'm almost sure he wont be happy about moving in with us but we might as well make him feel as welcome as possible" said Snake glancing at his watch, it had only been an hour since they'd first gone into the bank.

"I guess your right but he isn't having my room" argued Fox.

They all raised an eyebrow at Fox and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"You mean you want to move back in?" asked Wolf slowly.

"Just to watch out for Cub, what's safer than three SAS soldiers AND an MI6 agent" he reasoned masking the fact that he had been missing living with the guys ever since that first night in the cold lonely house that was too big for one person. "I'm sure when Blunt said we could have four months that meant me as well!" he added.

Wolf sighed but couldn't hide the smile that his former team mate wanted to come back, they'd all missed him as well but they'd got over it as it was his choice. But now it could be like it used to be…with the addition of Cub.

"Well if you have to" huffed Wolf in mock annoyance, a rare playfulness he used when he was truly happy.

"Oh yeah, K-Unit is back together!" whooped Eagle. "Oh and I don't know about you but I really want to have a shower"

* * *

The rest of the day was spent changing into cleaner clothes and sorting out Cubs room. Fox and Eagle volunteered to go and collect Cubs stuff from his house but trust me this was not all in an act of kindness, Eagle was just plain nosy and Fox was curious to see what had gone on in the house. He suspected it had been cleaned but cleaners can't always hide everything.

They went to the front door and surprise surprise, it was locked.

"Blunt or Jones didn't happen to give you a key, did they?" asked Fox cursing himself for his own stupidity.

"Do you know anyone who would trust me with a key?" protested Eagle

"…good point"

Before they knew Eagle had a tendency to lose the most basic things they'd been locked out of their cabin and spent the rest of the night trying to find a way back in but as they didn't know they'd be having to do it they'd locked all the windows so the cabin would at least be 'marginally' warm and no heat could escape. What seemed like such a good plan turned out to be the worst ever. In the end they did a 'cub' as it was now called and Eagle (seeing as it was his fault) had to spend ages trying to slid down the chimney face first. He never wanted to be trusted with anything again.

"There's got be a spare key around here somewhere" muttered Fox looked under the welcome mat which hid nothing.

So they spent the next ten minutes trying to find a spare key but it seemed that Cub and his housekeeper wanted to keep all safety precautions, even if the person who wanted to come in could just bring down the door but still, if it made him sleep easier.

"Come on you're a spy, don't they teach you this sort of thing?"

"Fine fine, let me think…' Eagle looked at Fox expectantly '…I've got it!" Fox pulled out a needle from his pocket.

"Please tell me that's some sort of gadget"

"It is, had it for a mission ages ago and I just sort of forgot to give it back" Fox grinned slyly and Eagle clapped him on the back.

"I knew I'd start rubbing off on you! So, what does it do?"

"Even though it looks like a flimsy piece of metal the tip is so sharp it can cut through glass, you see where I'm going?"

It seemed Eagle didn't so Fox went over the window and drew a circle in the glass, once the slits met each other Fox pushed in the glass and then put his hand through to open the window.

"Coming?"

Climbing through the window they entered the living room which held nothing out of the ordinary, obviously things hadn't taken place there.

"Let's go"

Outside in the hallway Fox did a quick scan trying to find anything unusual, he even checked the ceiling but there was nothing, if there was it had gone. He turned to follow Eagle when he saw a dent in the framework of the door that probably led to the kitchen.

"You go on ahead, I'll be there in a second" he told Eagle who nodded and went upstairs.

Fox entered the kitchen but there was nothing else that looked strange except for a rug that had been placed near the door. It was such a weird place to put a rug that the only reason it could have been put there was to cover it. Also it was totally the wrong colour but Fox wouldn't know that.

He lifted up the carpet and felt disgusted. A dark brown stain that was mixed with what he didn't want to guess was stuck to the floor and he wondered if it had belonged to that housekeeper's of Cubs. And if it did, had Cub witnessed what happened to her, Fox wasn't sure but he was sure he'd be sick if he didn't cover it back up. Yes he could stand seeing that type of thing but when he was off duty and a kid was involved it brought out the horrible reality of it.

Thinking he should discuss it with Cub when they take him to the flat he went after Eagle to get a look at Cub's room. He went inside to find Eagle opening each draw looking more shocked by the minute. He couldn't see why though, it looked like any teenage boys would, blue theme with a few Chelsea football posters.

"What's wrong?" Fox asked.

"It's... it's tidy!"

Fox scoffed. "Just because you seem to make it look like a tornado's hit your room all the time doesn't mean everyone else's has to look that way"

Eagle huffed but continued. "How many teenage boys room have you seen that looks this tidy and so… I don't know, boring?"

Now Eagle mentioned it the room did look boring, like Cub hadn't bothered to make it look like his own. Other than those Chelsea posters and a picture of a man and a younger Alex there was really nothing to give away Cub's personality. Sure he'd met him but anyone else wouldn't have a clue. It was kind of creepy. **[1]**

"Maybe that's just how Cub likes it, now lets just get this stuff back home"

Home, it felt good saying that and soon he would also be able to get a better insight in the boy that is Alex Rider A.K.A Cub.

* * *

"Do you think he'll like it?"

"He'd better or I'll give him a piece of my mind"

"Who wouldn't, it looks just fine"

Once Fox and Eagle had got back from Alex's house they had set upon the task of preparing his room even though it might be ages until he could actually see it but as they didn't actually know how extreme the injuries were they were just going to make it in case. It was even kind of fun designing the room but you'd never catch Wolf saying it, just let Eagle for him. And it defiantly wasn't him who said posters looked wonky and then straightened them.

The room itself had nice light green wallpaper with a dark green carpet and a summer leaves bed covers and all the necessities a room would need. It was a bit small and had been extremely dusty from lack of use but that's what cleaning supplies were for. They had put up the posters and also added the pictures, they'd also managed to find one with a pretty red headed woman in it and they were pretty sure it was Cub's housekeeper. It even said her name on the back, Jack. Well at least Jack could rest in peace knowing Cub wasn't alone.

"So we're visiting him tomorrow right?" asked Snake.

"We might as well start this parental thing right away"

* * *

_Alex's POV_

No, not again, please not another one. For a while Alex had been free of the terrifying nightmares but it seemed his luck had run out for now. This time he was with a different man, it was the very man who had ordered his capture. He'd hoped he wouldn't have to see his face again but it seemed his mind had other ideas.

"_It isn't much to ask Alex, really. Just tell me, what is the password?"  
The interrogation had started when the man had realised Alex could hold valuable information but the truth was Alex didn't. Right now he wanted the password to MI6's computer files but when did he really think Alex would have been told that? Maybe it was just an excuse to torture him more, he wasn't sure but the torture would be inevitable anyway. _

"_I've already told you, I don't know!" he shouted, his lungs and throat burning from the lack of water._

"_But are you sure Alex, they didn't tell you anything, I can hardly believe they would keep so much from their best agent" his interrogator said picking up a surgical knife and wiping it with the edge of his shirt. _

"_Nothing I swear, they don't trust me"  
"Well, until they decide to 'trust you' as you claim to say we'll just see how you find this" _

_He was coming closer and closer and Alex, bound tightly to a chair, could do nothing to stop him. The glint of the knife becoming brighter and brighter…._

The nightmare had thankfully ended before he could relive the pain again. How much longer must he have them, to see everything over and over again. But at least this one was over…until the next one came.

**I just want to say now a MASSIVE THANK YOU to all of you who have reviewed and given so much support. I know I haven't replied but all most of you would get was a thanks :3 and I do appreciate them but instead I'll do them all here as well as answering any questions you have. So once again THANK YOU to all of you and all of you who have added me on your favourite lists and what not, it means a lot. **

**Now I would just like to comment on how these quick updates won't last, it happens on all my stories then I end up getting writes block or something and even though I sort of have a plot… its very vague so anything can happen. Also I have changed the layout for Alex's nightmares and I might have one in each chapter if you like that idea, it makes for longer chapters and gives you an insight on what happened to Alex. So you want one in each chapter or near enough (whenever night and sleep comes). **

**I seem to have also managed to make getting into a house as long as possible but at least I gave you a nice long chapter, even if it is a filler and could be quite boring but next time should get better. Ah I liked writing it anyway, go K-Unit humour and Wolf being OOC! **

**That's all for now and next time K-Unit visits Alex at the hospital (I want him to be awake but after the injuries I've given the poor boy I don't know how realistic that would be, I'm all for letting K-Unit take him now…ooooh a plot bunny has just jumped on my head for that chapter!) :3**

**[1] I forgotten if I says what Alex's room looks like so I made up my own for him. **


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: If I were Anthony Horowitz K-Unit would probably feature in all of the books cos I love 'em :3**

"We'd like to visit Alex Rider please"

It was the morning of the day after the rescue, officially one day since they re-met Cub as the rescue had been done early morning. They'd left after breakfast and they now found themselves in front of a stern looking receptionist who was looking more disturbed by the minute.

"I'm afraid I can't allow anyone in unless they are related to Alex. Are you?"

The men all looked at each other trying to come up with something when Eagle came to the rescue.

"We're his uncles! I'm his favourite Uncle Derek!"

Wolf rubbed the bridge of his nose and the receptionist didn't look convinced.

"I can hardly see how that is possible as you all seem to be of different nationalities"

"Our family is quite large and fond of travelling. Please, we are all very worried about him. We heard he was in an accident but we don't know the extent of his injuries" Fox lied smoothly.

The receptionists face relaxed and a small smile tugged at her lips.

"Alright, you may go through but you will have to wait until his other visitor has come out. I must say, it is quite surprising the amount of support he's got, the times before it has rarely been anyone except a red headed woman and some woman who always seemed to be sucking a peppermint."

Fox forced at a chuckle but it stopped when he remembered the other visitor, who else would visit Cub. He supposed it could be one of his friends but he somehow doubted that.

"Would you mind describing the other person?" Fox asked and the rest of K-Unit looked at him curiously.

"I don't know if I should really tell you, regulations and all that but he…"

A piercing shriek interrupted and everyone looked for the source. The receptionist checked and said "It's coming from the Intensive care Unit…where Alex is"

That was all they needed to know before running off following the sound of the shout and various signs.

'_Couldn't this kid catch a break' _thought Wolf who was 99.99% sure that it had something to do with Cub.

They turned the corner to see a nurse lying on the floor seemingly fainted from the sight of the two guards who were now dead from two gunshot wounds in the head. '_Must have been done with a silencer, otherwise it would have made too much noise' _they all thought.

Ignoring the two guards blocking the door they opened it and jumped through to see a man standing by the window Cub in his arms!

**[I so wish I could have used this as a cliff-hanger but otherwise it would be too short and evil]**

At the noise of the men charging in the stranger turned his head and gave Wolf the chance to go and punch him in the face and before the man could fall forward and squash Cub he took the boy from his arms thanking the lord they didn't give him one of those silly night dress things that only cover the front.

Next Snake went up to the man who had recovered slightly and was attempting to open the window. Anticipating an attack the man stood his ground and as Snake did a front kick he grabbed Snakes ankle and threw him back against the wall. Again he tried to get past but inside a small room with a shut room filled with four men it was pointless.

As a last resort the man brought out a gun but before the man could get a shot Wolf lunged at him (he had put Alex back on the bed) and the gun was knocked from his hands.

Wolf quickly pinned the mans arms behind his back and lifted him up with the man.

Fox walked up to the man glaring at the enemy who was also glaring back.  
"Who are you, who do you work for"

The man just carried on glaring and just as Fox was about to press on his eyes suddenly rolled back into his head and went limp in Wolf's arms.

"Shit!" exclaimed Wolf as the sudden increase of weight made him drop the man.

"Did he just DIE?" Said a shocked Eagle.

Snake went forward and checked his pulse. "Yep, he's dead"

"How'd he do that?"

"The people he worked for must have anticipated it might not work so in the case of defeat they made sure none of their secrets could be revealed. Quite clever but also quite hard to find people to do the job"

"Whoa"

Now that there was no immediate danger they got to have a good look at the man. He was wearing all black with short close cropped black hair. He had a scar that ran across his forehead and he could just about match Wolf's muscle.

"We need to tell MI6 about this, maybe they can identify the body" said Fox and they all nodded. "I'll go; I just don't know how I'm going to explain carrying a dead corpse out of the hospital"

"I...i...it's alright, I I'll tell everyone you mean no harm" said a nurse who was peering round the edge of the door frame. Her face was pasty white but she also looked relieved.

They all looked at her oddly and Fox rubbed the back of his head. "Err… thanks"

Fox took the body from Wolf and lifted it over his shoulder. "You guys stay here and call a doctor, we don't know what he did" he flicked his head towards Alex.

The nurse went out and everyone who asked, she just replied "Classified", after being told by Fox she could possibly be killed or at least restrained by saying anything. It might not have been totally true but he didn't want it getting around.

Back in the hospital room they had called for the doctor using the handy little button. They'd noticed quite a few wires had been pulled out from Alex and they weren't sure how important they were but whatever they were Alex sure needed them as his face lost a little more colour each minute. In fact, he also looked dangerously skinny but you could still see the muscles he had.

The doctor barged through immensely angry and they all stepped back to let him look at Alex and also from a slight fear of what would happen if they didn't.

The doctor took one look at Alex and immediately ordered K-Unit out. No one even uttered the word 'but'.

Twenty minutes later the doctor came out happy.

"He alright?" asked Wolf. The three men had decided to sit outside the room on the spare chairs ignoring the funny looks they had got from passers by. The whole fight and shouts had not gone unnoticed.

"No worse thankfully, we managed to reattach all the tubes in good time so no damage was done"

A chorus of breath that had been held in flew out and Snake carried on.

"So what _is _wrong with him?"

"May I ask who you are first?"

"His uncles"  
The doctor gave a brief frown before continuing. "Ok, first, I'm Doctor Wells, Alex's full time Doctor. I'm new here. I must say when he was first brought in I wasn't sure if he'd make it. His heart rate was becoming unstable but that was the first thing we sorted out and thankfully it went back to normal.

But then there were those terrible burns and the broken ribs. The burns were and still are a bit quite serious but they will heal in time as will the broken ribs. The hardest thing was an injury to the back of the head, blunt head trauma **[1]**. At first I was worried about a brain hermorrhage, blood leaking in the brain but there was nothing fortunately, he might just take a while to wake up. That's the worst of it except the shocking amount of bruises and cuts he had, they'll hurt a hell of a lot but should heal fine. I don't know why he was like this and I don't think I want to know but I know damn well he isn't having the best of it at the moment. From now on no other visitors will be allowed into his room"

Wolf agreed and added "We would also be happy to be on watch, you never know what comes through a window"

"Alright then, I think you've proven yourselves to be trustworthy, I'll leave it too you and I'll see you the next time Alex needs to be checked on. Good day, oh and I must warn you Alex could wake up anytime now. Call the button when he does"

Doctor Wells walked off and Wolf turned to his team.

"I guess the people who are after Cub really haven't given up like we thought. We'll have a rotor. Daytime, me and Fox will stay and at night you two will do it. We can't let anyone except Doctor Wells in and maybe some nurses depending they're for real"

It was at this point Fox chose to walk up to the guys and as Wolf opened his mouth Fox put up a hand. "I heard everything. So… I guess we're starting now?"

"Yeah"

"We'd better get some sleep then Snake seeing as we get the oh so pleasant NIGHT shift"

"It won't be so bad, let's go"

Snake pulled an annoyed Eagle from the hospital while Wolf and Fox went inside, Wolf sitting near the door and Fox next to the window but also close to Alex. He glanced at the bruised and battered sleeping boy.

'_Why is it always you?'_

* * *

_Alex's POV_

How long had he been like this? Stuck in the darkness with only the nightmares for company, sometimes he thought he heard people talking but it was so quiet he just thought he was imagining it. Why couldn't he wake up and would he ever. Was this what happened after death, except he couldn't remember dying, and if he was dead why was he still having nightmares. Was this what hell was like?

On these troubling thoughts the next nightmare came.

"_Alex, do you know who this is?" _

_Alex wearily lifted his head towards the picture his captor was holding, he wished he knew his name, calling him 'his captor' was really annoying. He had just recently come from a beating by the largest man they could have possible found. Perfect for giving the best bruises. _

_As he searched the picture for any meaning he realised who it showed. _

_Sabina. _

"_Ah, I see we do. Pretty little thing isn't she? Oh how I would love to see if she stays that pretty after the things we could do"_

_Frustration flared inside him at what he was suggesting. He couldn't let them hurt Sabina but what could he do, once again he was bound to a chair at their mercy, as it always was…_

"_No, you can't, she hasn't done anything wrong!"  
"Oh but isn't that how it always is, how many people have got hurt from knowing you?"_

_Alex gulped, Jack. Oh god… no, he couldn't think about that now, he couldn't show any weakness, other than the one he was showing about Sabina. _

"_If you just tell us some little things we may be gracious enough to leave her alone"_

_Still they were on about the information he didn't have, just to make his last moments as long and hellish as possible. _

"_Never" Alex spat out. _

_This time it wasn't a knife, but a whip. _

"_Oh well, maybe next time"_

_His captor went behind him so Alex couldn't see him. He could hear the whip being lifted up but suddenly he was falling back…it was all fading…the dark…it was coming and then clearing…_

"Ben?"

**There we have it, chapter 3 of One Big Happy Family. Now once again I must thank all of you for all the alerts, adding and such as well as reviews. You are all so great and I now promise to answer any longish reviews (that don't just say update even though I still love 'em and are longer than one line) so you know I'm listening. So from last chapters reviews…I have one person to talk to! RO-Z 28- I totally agree, and I get hyper all the time, its fun :3 thanks for the review!**

**All you others I do care about yours and just thanks for all the nice comments :3 I love you all and as I reward I made my longest chapter yet, just under 2000 words, a great leap for me! **

**Again my usual reminder they won't stay this quick (updates) and I look forward to hearing what you think and also to writing Alex and K-Unit interactions. Will he be happy or not, I think we all know but anyway GO K-UNIT AND ALEX. YOU ROCK MY SOCKS!!!**

**[1] Again I'm no doctor, this is based on what I think happens and some help from a website which I forgot the name of cos I'm so clever.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Guess what, he gave me them!!!!....now hands up for who believed me. **

_Alex's POV_

Alex woke up feeling pain free but in the place he always hoped he'd never have to see again, the hospital. Yes he does like what they do but he doesn't like all the reasons he has to be there.

Turning his head to the side his eyes widened at who was sitting next to him.

"Ben?"

_Ben's POV_

It had been three hour since the attack and he had decided to read a book while Wolf sat and read the paper. Neither of them felt like talking so it had been blissfully quiet. That was why he got the shock of his life when a weak croaky voice called out his name. Looking to the side he realised Alex was awake.

_General _**[1]**

"Alex?" Ben asked (I'm going to call him Ben while he is around Alex).

"Hey, how does he know your name?" questioned Wolf amazed at how Cub knew Fox's real name.

"Classified" informed Ben annoyingly to Wolf and he turned back to Alex. "How're you feeling?"

"Tired and confused"

It was true, just because he didn't feel any pain didn't mean the side effects weren't there. He was also really confused why the man he had recently taken a mission with along with the team leader of his temporary unit (he recognised the voice) were in his room.

"Understandable" Ben agreed.

"Water?" Alex asked, his voice was dry after lack of use and he couldn't remember the last time he'd drank something.

"Here?" Wolf passed Alex a cup of water once Alex had managed to sit himself up with a little help from Ben. He drank greedily and let out a breath of relief.

"So…why are you here?" Alex questioned.

Oh dear, this was the moment they had been dreading, the time Alex would hear of their plan for him. He hoped it would go ok.

"Well Alex, I'm sure you understand that…MI6 are now your legal guardians"

How could he forget, the moment the life went from Jack he knew. He knew he had no one left, but that didn't answer why they were in his room now.

Wolf noticed how Cub's (Alex will be referred as Cub by K-unit) eyes hardened and he cleared his voice and carried on by Wolf.

"Maybe we should start from the beginning. Me along with K-unit and Fox are the ones that carried out your rescue mission"

"Took you long enough"

Wolf took a deep breath, just because he was injured didn't mean he would be safe from Wolf's bad mouth. "Listen ok? After we got you here we spoke to MI6 about your arrangements and I well, we…" Wolf trailed off and allowed Ben to grudgingly finish. "…we offered to take you in while you recover"

You could just see the stunned look on Alex's face by the way both his eyebrows lifted quickly.

"You mean me…live with you?"

"All of us, we share a flat not too far from here. You'd have your own room and everything" Alex almost _almost _smiled but there was something in the way.

"Why?"

Now it was once again Wolf and Ben's turn to be surprised. Did he think there was some sort of catch, like by doing this they were also gaining something or even the MI6?

"Come on, we know whatever the MI6's been making you do isn't good and we just want to help out the 5th member of the team"

This coming from the man who wanted to get him binned and once realising that wouldn't happen made his life hell. Sure he'd taken a bullet for him but people just didn't change like that.

Wolf could see the judgement in Alex's eyes and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I know I haven't been the nicest guy to you but its not my fault" Alex snorted here and Wolf once more had to take a calming breath. "When we first saw you at Breacon Beacons we all thought you'd been sent their by your rich parents or something, even Fox here did" Ben seemed very ashamed of himself at this point. "Then when I saw you snowboarding on an IRONING BOARD down a mountain, I've got to talk to you bout that, I thought it was a one time thing, or rather hoped and I guess I didn't understand the seriousness of your job or how the MI6 have well, used you"

Alex still didn't look convinced.

"What Wolf is trying to say is when you see a kid as beaten up as you were and still are really can make you feel a bit different. And also you'll be more protected this way, I mean after the incident earlier…"

"What incident"

Ben just realised what he'd said. The first thing that him and Wolf had agreed on was that they'd keep the whole attempted kidnapping thing a secret so not to aggravate him.

"Oh, did I say incident? I meant… err"

"You suck at lying for a spy you know, tell me" Alex treated Ben to a glare of his that looked like nothing compared to what Wolf could give.

"Its nothing you need to worry about right now, all you need to know is the people who captured you are not giving up and we are going to protect you"

A frown was placed on Alex at the mention that the people who tortured him weren't giving up he even mumbled something Ben couldn't catch.

"What was that?"

"Doesn't matter, so there's no strings attached?"

Was he still on about that?!

"None"

Now that Alex knew it would actually be happening it took a moment for it all to sink in.

"Snake and Eagle?"

"They all agreed and Snake is the medic of the team so he'd be able to over see your progression."

"I see, and Blunt actually agreed to it?" He found it hard to believe Blunt would agree without a fight. He knew how tight he wanted him under his thumb.

"Well, it was more Mrs Jones and she convinced him" answered Ben still slightly surprised himself. Alex matched the expression they all had when she spoke.

"So let's see if I got this. Once I'm out of here I will go and live with you guys while I recover"

"Right" said Wolf.

"What happens after?"

That was the first time they'd wanted to think about that question. Hell they couldn't take care of a kid full time, they had jobs and they weren't really into the full time parent's thing. They'd cope for as long as they had to but afterwards, no matter how much they disliked it, they'd have to give him back to MI6.

"I don't know" Ben said quietly.

Alex nodded like he'd expected that answer. In a way he knew it would be only a matter of time since MI6 would own him. He couldn't have protected Jack forever, he was only a kid and it looked like he was right. A small sigh escaped his lips.

Wolf felt bad for the kid, he doubted he'd ever wanted this but at least when they were taking care of him they'd be able to know what really happened and perhaps help him psychologically. Suddenly he remembered something.

"Oh Shit!"  
"Language" scolded Ben seeing as Alex was in the room.

"Shut up, and I forgot, we were supposed to call Doctor Wells in when Cub woke up! It's been like half an hour!"

Ben put a finger to his chin thoughtfully and then he also remembered.

"Argh, your right. Hey Alex, pretend you just woke up"

Alex looked at him curiously. "You want me to lie to a doctor?"

"Yes I do and if you'd seen how scary he looked earlier you'd know why"  
A plan formed in Alex's mind. He hadn't had a chance to have this much fun in a while and he needed to be able to laugh. Plus he wanted to get back at them for making a decision without his permission.

"Ok, I'll do it"

That seemed to easy but Wolf had already pressed the button.

Alex got back into bed and made it look like he'd never sat up. They'd also refilled the cup and put it by his bedside.

A couple of minutes later Doctor Wells entered the room. Alex looked at him and he seemed friendly with blonde hair and a big smile.

"Ah Alex, glad to see your awake, how're you feeling. So how long have you been awake?"

Ben and Wolf looked relieved; he seemed to have bought it.

"Hmm, well I think the painkillers started to wear off about fifteen minutes ago. My chest is starting to hurt a bit"

Both Wolf's and Ben's eyed widened, he double-crossed them!

If Doctor Wells was an anime person you would just see that bit vain throbbing on his head. Keeping his temper and said "I see Alex", then he turned to the two men who were starting to sweat. "Nurse, give Alex a little more of the painkillers while I talk to the gentlemen outside. Gentlemen" he gestured to the door.

Trembling slightly the two men got up and walked outside the door but not before they could send killer glares in the direction of a smirking Alex. They were so going to get payback for this.

Once Doctor Wells left the nurse who said she was called Sophie administered the small dose of painkillers but added "I'm afraid after today you won't be able to have any more. Doctor Wells has had orders not too"

"Ok" Alex had expected as much, there was always the risk he could get addicted according to MI6 so he was never given too much. At least he didn't have that long to be sad as he was immediately cheered up by the shouting of Doctor Wells. He could just catch the phrases "One little instruction" "Could have been dangerous" and also Wolf and Ben's feeble excuses that he'd seemed fine and had not complained at all but all that got them was another good shouting at.

Once the shouting had calmed down he heard Wolf ask how long it would be till he could be let out. Thankfully it would only have to be a maximum of two days.

Now that the painkillers had fully entered his system Alex could feel the familiar drowsiness come over him and he succumbed to the darkness gladly, he'd rather not face Ben and Wolf just yet.

Smiling in his sleep Alex had his first night of no nightmares.

**So this is the end of the 4****th**** chapter and I know Alex didn't have any nightmares but I think he deserved a break and I also don't know how many I could actually do. Now I know it isn't as long as the last one but I tried. Now lets see how good your French is as mines bad but I'm going to practise it now. **

**Merci beaucoup pour la soutien!!!!!!(look it up if you don't know) I think my mum is angry at how the email is filling but I just LOVE seeing how full it is!!! Keep up the good work people, It makes me laugh. **

**Do you want to know something weird, you have beaten the reviews I got for my 41! Chapter story with this. Wow. **

**Lastly, from the over 2 line reviews I got last time Dottie10 – That's more or less the plan, I hope I can do it ****. PercyJacksonFan4Ever- I pray that this story won't have to be abandoned and it shouldn't as the plot in my head is becoming better :D. RO-Z 28 again **** - I know what you mean, I'm actually glad I managed to do one! Hehe- I know it probably doesn't count but oh well, Thank you **

**To the rest of you thank you so much and here is the update :D and whatnot (that is such a lame word) Next time, Alex starts his time at K-Unit and Ben's flat!**

**P.s I am going to put a poll up for Wolf's first name as I can't decide, I got his last name (hehehe) I just need a first. Bye for now! **

**[1] I didn't know what to put there.**


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer- Anthony Horowitz is just being mean now. **

The next couple of days were filled with Alex mainly being asleep. The nurse had spoken the truth and the day after Alex had first woken up the supply had been cut off and the pain came thundering in. This is the reason why Alex was spending his time asleep; to escape the pain he would feel if he weren't

That didn't stop the nightmares though, sure the first night had been good but it didn't stay that way, and it didn't go unnoticed by K-unit and Ben. The first time it had been with Ben and Wolf. They had noticed Alex had started groaning and then he began thrashing around a bit but thankfully not too much.

Ben had wanted to wake him up but Wolf stopped him.

"He'd just feel embarrassed and maybe ashamed of himself"  
Ben thought about it and realised he'd also feel that way if he knew someone had seen him act so venerable. Then he did something Wolf couldn't believe. As Alex was on his back Ben found it easy to gently rub Alex's back and say soothing noises. Amazingly in the next few seconds Alex's groans had ceased and his body had relaxed.

Wolf raised an eyebrow and Ben gave a shy smile and shrugged.

"My mum used to do it to me when I was little"

"Alright" Wolf dragged the word out but he was glad Fox did it. He would have to remind Snake and Eagle that…on second thought maybe just Snake, Eagle would probably end up slapping him and waking him up.

And that is what happened whenever Alex started to have a nightmare they would do. Just a quick rub on the back and some hushing noises he would be fine. Sometimes they wondered if Cub had ever had someone to do that for him. Somehow they doubted it.

Wolf and Ben had also decided their revenge would wait until Alex was feeling better; it just made them sad to see a boy so tormented.

Finally the two days was up and Doctor Wells had just finished his final examination on Alex.

"Nothing seems to have gone wrong and now all we'll need is time. I recommend changing the bandages at least every two night so the burns don't become infected by dirt"

"I'll make sure of that" said Snake who had been checking he had everything he might need in the coming days.

"I'm sure you will" Doctor Well said approvingly.

"What about school?" asked Alex, he really didn't need to miss any more.

Doctor Wells thought about it and sighed, the boy looked like he really wanted to go.

"Now for the first couple of days, allow your body time to heal a bit more and then you can go. But even then no P.E, don't want you aggravating anything"

Alex mentally groaned, P.E was the only subject he could actually excess in thanks to his…chance to workout…

"Cub…Cub?"

Alex's jumped a little and looked at Wolf. "Doctor said we could go"

"Oh" was all Alex replied.

They walked outside the hospital doors and Alex was pleasantly surprised to see their form of transport was a silver Highlander **[1]. **Wolf took the wheel and Ben next to him which left Alex squashed between the burly Snake and Eagle. Not fun.

Alex hissed as he pulled the seatbelt over his chest but dismissed the concerned stare Snake gave him. He'd learnt to handle the pain and now it could only get better thankfully, unless he agitated it himself like a seatbelt but unless he wanted to have even more injuries the seatbelt stays. Now he just had to look forward to the sweaty ride ahead of him.

The twelve minute drive to the flat was to say the truth, completely awkward. What was there to say and did that have air conditioning! It was only near the end of spring **[2] **but come on, it was like an oven…or maybe that was just Alex.

Thankfully the joyful feeling of the car slowing down and turning into a car park appeared and Alex could now feel the nice cool breeze against his heated skin. He let out a content sigh.

Wolf locked the car and they went up to the front door that led into all the different flats. Alex looked at the building and saw it wasn't too bad, it was a nice white colour and there were a couple of balconies. He wondered if K-Unit's had one or, for now, his.

Going through they went up in the elevator and stopped at level 4. Four…Alex memorised that. He also memorised the number 65 as that was the number on the door and then he got his first look at his temporary home.

It was fairly big with the kitchen mixed in with the lounge and two corridors on either side. It had a cream theme with all the wood being a light shade of brown. Near the entrance there was a toilet but Alex suspected there was another one or two in the corridors…or at least he hoped. He did not want everyone seeing him wrapped in just a towel, or seeing his bullet wound.

"Your room is in just through there and the last one, it's just opposite the bathroom" said Wolf pointing to the door to the right.

Alex nodded and took a step forward when he noticed he was being watched, he'd always hated that feeling. When he looked back he saw amusedly that they all quickly looked away and pretended to do their own thing. Eagle even started whistling an awful tune.

Pleased that at least they weren't finding him as interesting Alex found the door to his room and opened it. He was gladly stunned to see all his stuff had been placed in but also annoyed, that meant K-Unit had entered his house and who knows what they looked at. What if they went in Jacks room or something like that?!

Once again his thoughts turned to Jack. He couldn't believe she was really gone, she was always so full of life and she could always make him feel better after one of his missions, even if it was just with a take away. A flash back of that day came into his mind.

_All in all it had been a good day for Alex. He'd managed to pass his maths test and the coach had given him one last chance and allowed him back on the football team. Even the rumours had started to die down with the exceptions of a few who think it looks 'cool' to make fun of people. Alex just called them idiots (he was not going to get a detention for swearing). That is why he got more of a shock when he stepped through the front door shouting out his traditional "Jack, I'm home"_

_Drips of blood splattered the floor and a lump formed in his throat, someone was here and had almost defiantly hurt Jack, it could be the other way round though he supposed, Jack was good with a frying pan. _

_Even with that humorous thought the thought of what awaited him in the kitchen deemed more important. He opened the door and…_

NO! He must not think about it, what's done is done and nothing can change it so there was no point dwelling on it. Jack was gone and she was never coming back. Never…

Tears threatened to fall but Alex rubbed them away. He couldn't cry, he done enough of that in his cell and he was pretty sure there were people watching him then. With a small sniff Alex looked up to see Wolf and Snake at the door looked extremely uncomfortable.

"Uh…we were just wondering what you wanted for dinner. We were thinking about an Indian as a kind of, I don't know, celebration?"

Alex closed his eyes getting rid of any water that was left and nodded his head.

"Indian's fine"

"Alright then…err; do you want to talk about it?" This was Wolf trying to show his sensitive side but not doing a great job.

"No thanks, I'll just do some studying"

'_That's weird, a kid who actually wants to study'_ thought Snake.

"Ok then, if you need anything just ask and we'll be in the lounge…bye"

With that uncomfortable talk done Alex looked around for his ipod and found it in one of the draws. Plugging it into his ears he put on some green day **[3]** and found his science text book. Time to learn about some evolution.

_Lounge_

"...then just said he wanted to study" Snake finished of telling them what him and Wolf had seen and heard.

"Weird" commented Eagle.

"Yeah but its all new to him and he's probably feeling just as ill at ease around us as we are, come on we're practically strangers. I think tonight will be the perfect opportunity to get to know each other" said Ben who wished he could say that he'd been on a mission with them…maybe he could let it 'accidentally' slip?

"I dunno, Alex doesn't seem like the talkative type" doubted Wolf.

"Well we'll just have to make him talk" said Eagle with an evil grin.

* * *

No one saw Alex actually come out of his room that day. They were he had to have done as there was a glass and some roll missing but he must have gone so quietly they didn't notice though they guessed that was what comes from having a spy in your home.

At 6:00 the Indian arrived and they had gotten quite a lot of different things as they didn't know what Alex liked and Snake was friends with the owner so they got a small discount.

Alex, smelling the food, decided it was time for his appearance turned off his ipod (yes he had had breaks listening) and put away his newly digged out play script of Macbeth.

Listening at the door before going in he heard the shuffle of plates and cutlery. At least they weren't all waiting for him to show which if he was honest would freak him out.

Alex went through and thankfully they didn't all stop and look at him but they did all sit down and left the last seat at the top of table for him. Why wasn't he surprised.

He took his seat and looked at what there was. It had a lot of variety and they all went to choose their food. Alex got some chicken korma, Bombay potatoes, pilau rice and not forgetting the ever important poppadom. It looked delicious and his mouth was almost about to water but he wasn't sure if he should wait for the others to get their food. If there was one thing he was taught it was manners.

"You can start eating you know, don't wait for us" said Ben amused but also pleased with the manners the boy had when he wasn't on a mission.

Grateful Alex started rushing down his food only pausing for a drink of the water he brought out with him. Soon enough they were all doing it.

Halfway through the dinner Eagle couldn't hold in the talking he had to do not caring what came out of his mouth while doing it.

"So Cub, what's your favourite colour?"

Wolf who was on the opposite side of Eagle therefore right in range of the missiles of food flying was not amused so kicked up Eagle's shin. Eagle gave a yelp and a glare but then turned to Alex who was in the middle of a mouthful trying to swallow.

Once that was gulped down he hesitated. "I don't know…blue?" This came from being a Chelsea supporter.

"Ok, favourite animal"

Alex raised an eyebrow but answered anyway, what was with the questions? "Dog"

For the next few minutes Eagle questioned Alex with meaningless questions and then when Eagle thought Alex was hardly thinking about what he was saying he asked "How many missions have you been on?"

Alex was just about to answer when he just registered what the question was in time.

"Classified" he said with a pleased smirk.

Eagle had just thought he'd won but hearing the answer he moaned and mumbled "almost".

The rest of them shared grins at how Eagle failed but once over the shock of that lost he carried on.

"You can't tell us anything? Nothing at all?"

"Well, I could…" Eagle's face lit up into a smile. "But then I might have to kill you" back down that smile went.

Ben burst out laughing at this. He knew that was an exaggeration but the others didn't, he'd tell them later but he was having too much fun at this point.

Now that the tension had been broken they all joined in on the conversation talking about random things until they were all fit to burst with food.

"Defiantly one of the best meals I've had in a while" said Snake and the rest agreed.

Sitting on sofa's and armchairs with the football on (it was a Saturday) Wolf remembered something.

"Hey Fox, didn't we promise some revenge?"

Ben grinned. "Why yes, I think we did?"

"What's this bout" asked Snake.

"Oh Alex thought it would funny to set an angry Doctor on us, didn't you?" said Ben to Alex who was in the process of getting up.

"That defiantly can't go unpunished!" exclaimed Eagle who didn't really get the story but was happy if it meant some form of torture on Alex.

Wolf grabbed on Alex's ankle and Ben stood up with a sadistic grin. Alex still trying to get away moved back as far as he could and Snake and Eagle came up as well.

"Let's see…" Ben poked Alex's stomach and a quick smile flashed on Alex's face but he quickly dispersed of it.

"Ha! Cub is ticklish!" said Eagle.

"I'm not a kid!" protested Alex just wanting to escape.

"But that doesn't make it any less fun does it?" retorted Ben who was poking Alex even more.

In the next minute all of the men were tickling Alex who was laughing his head off. The only other voice that could be heard was Snake going "be careful of his chest" but it was fine. It was a strange sight to see Alex laughing so much but they were sure it was good for him and it was.

Alex couldn't remember a better evening.

**Yay, long chappie! Almost 2500! I absolutely loved writing this chapter and I hope you liked reading it just as much. Just to let you know James is winning for Wolfs name with a few second places. I've only had 11 answers and I know I've got a load more reading this so even if you don't review just spend a couple of seconds choosing a name. Please :) I may reveal them next chapter if it comes up but I don't know whats going to happen next -_-'**

**I've now decided to say thank you in a different language each chapter so hear comes the Spanish and just to say I mainly used a translator and will for others. So** **Gracias a todo tanto! Now for the shout outs :D There's quite a few this time!**

_**RO-Z 28**_** – Here's a Spanish one then :) and thank you! **_**Turn-On-The-Stars **_**– Nah she isn't that annoyed lol and I love twilight and suggesting Jacob made me laugh, it really made my day :) **_**clemlimo**_** – Thanks for the correction, I don't know why I'm in the top set for French -_-' **_**hollyblue2**_** – Wow a really long review! Thanks! And i'm the same age as you! Whoops, just revealed it but oh well. I really liked reading your reveal and hmm, Lewis does sound good :D **_**K-UNITisHERE – **_**Probably doesn't count but thanks so much and you made me hungry :3 **_**i**_** – Oh I fully intend on Alex and K-Unit fun like in this chapter and the full explanation will come…I don't know but it will. Near the end but more middle. :)**

**To the rest of you thank you for your reviews and I hope you would be so kind as to carry on reading! :D Until next time where…something will happen, I don't know what!!! **

**[1] I spent AGES trying to find a car for some reason!**

**[2] I don't know what time of this year its meant to be so I guessed. **

**[3] I am in a Green Day phase. **


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer – If you think I own it you must be…my hopes and dreams -_-'**

_Air, he needed air now! His lungs, they couldn't take anymore…_

_His head was pulled out from the bucket of sea water, the reason being it would burn his eyes. That was the fourth time his head had been dunked and each time it was getting longer and his lungs were burning. Each time he was pulled up he would only get moments of air for questions and then if he didn't answer he was succumbed to the water._

"_I'm losing my patience with you boy. Do you have no information or are you just plain stubborn!"_

_Allowing himself a moment to have some satisfaction Alex retorted "Neither, I just know it frustrates you"_

_His captor shot daggers at Alex and then with an angry scream he shoved Alex's head back into the water so hard Alex's forehead knocked into the bucket and he had a rush of dizziness mixed into the fact he was losing consciousness. _

_Alex waited to be pulled back up but it never came but…this was new…he could hear a grumbling noise that sounded like a tractor. Suddenly he was being pulled away and_

"Aaah!" Alex jumped from an exceedingly loud noise and was two centimetres away from falling out of bed. Flopping back into the centre of the bed he calmed down and remembered Snake apologizing for his room before Alex went to bed. Now he knew why, Eagle was a snorer.

But he was glad though, otherwise he'd have had to go through more nightmares, so silently he thanked Eagle. He was confused though, he'd thought they'd finally gone since he'd had only one in the hospital since he'd woken up there. Why were they starting?

One thing he did notice now was that he was very sweaty, maybe from dreaming of water did it? Whatever he knew he wouldn't be able to get to sleep again and he hated feeling sweaty so he got up happy of the fact he was just opposite the bathroom, hopefully he wouldn't wake anyone.

Stripping off his sweaty pyjama trousers he turned on the shower and allowed himself some nice minutes under the warm water. It was relaxing just listening to the rush of water going on him and once he felt clean he got out and wrapped the green towel he had given around his waist. Good thing his bandages were of good quality otherwise he'd probably have to change them which would mean waking Snake (or just going without bandages until morning) which he wouldn't do. He never heard Eagle come out of his room.

Walking out of the door he stretched and then heard footsteps, with no time he just stood there and watched as Eagle blearily shuffled in carrying a glass of water. He muttered a brief "Hi Cub" and then walked into his room.

Now Alex as just surprised but just as he was going to take the opportunity to go in Eagle's head shot back out. "CUB?!" He shouted/whispered.

Damn.

Eagle looked at the young teen that had just come from a shower in surprise and then his eyes drifted towards the bullet wound on his chest. Had that been there last time? He spent so much time thinking about it he almost missed the chance to question him. Grabbing his wrist he turned Alex so they were facing each other.

"Why'd you take a shower?"

"Got sweaty" was the blunt answer.

"Why were you sweaty?"

"Must have got hot"

"But it isn't hot"

Alex didn't need these questions. He would not tell anyone about the nightmares, they didn't need to know.

"Goodnight" With that Alex shook free his wrist and walked inside his room. Listening outside Eagle could hear the switch of a light and the rustling of papers. Whatever he was doing didn't seem like a good night to Eagle but he would tell the others in the morning. Right now he was tired.

* * *

"I don't think the nightmares have gone like we hoped they would have"

A large sigh filled the room and Wolf just wanted to make sure. "What makes you say that?"

"Well last night I woke up to get a drink of water because I was thirsty which was strange…"  
"Eagle!"

"Err, right. On my way back to my room I saw Cub come out and he was wearing a towel. He'd just had a shower and when I asked he said he'd been sweaty and when I asked him again he said he must have got hot even though it isn't hot. I think it might have been a nightmare that caused it. Oh and also he has a bullet wound!" Eagle was proud of himself for remembering that fact.

Wolf, it seemed, was the only one shocked to this news seeing as Snake had seen it but forgotten about it after they had just seen him and Ben knew from Alex's file.

"Where?" asked Wolf barely above a whisper trying to keep his anger under control. What else could be done to the teen?

"Umm…" Eagle wasn't too sure.

"It was just above the heart" muttered Snake.

"Just, just, just above the freaking heart! How the hell did that happen?!" shouted Wolf using his arms quite funnily to emphasize his anger even more.

"I don't know, but it must have been a good sniper, but not good enough thankfully"

Wolf let out a long sigh; he seemed to do that a lot lately. "Come on, let's just go back to the nightmares but I also want you to do a check up on him Snake"

"Ok and I'm pretty sure this isn't good for him, the nightmares I mean. Do you think we should take him to one of our physiatrists?" said Snake.

Wolf shook his head. "Cubs already tight lipped about stuff, I doubt he'd going to pour his heart out to a stranger. In fact maybe that housekeeper of his was the only one"

Everyone frowned at the mention of Cub's deceased housekeeper but then Ben just said. "We'll just have to do it, we need to try and get Cub to talk, it might help the nightmares go away and also we should know what he's been doing as his legal guardians, it's our right"

Wolf stood up.

"Ok everyone, time for Operation Truth **[1]**"

* * *

Alex woke with a crash to the floor. He looked up and realised he must have fallen asleep while doing his maths. Getting up his ribs screamed in protest not liking the fall and his burns felt strained. Breathing through the pain Alex checked the time and it was 10:00, he wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep but at least maths had kept away the dreams.

Alex got changed into some jeans and a t-shirt and went to get some breakfast. He got up to the door and remembered the confrontation he'd had with Eagle that night. Maybe Eagle had been so tired he'd have forgotten? Alex doubted it but he decided he would just ignore the man for now and stay out of his way.

He entered and saw that only Wolf was in the room sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee and reading the paper. Hearing a door shut Wolf looked up at Alex who looked back and then went to get a piece of bread for some toast.

Once made, he locked gaze with Wolf who gestured to the seat opposite him. Alex sat and Wolf put down his paper.

"Alex, we need to talk about your missions"

Ah hell, well there was no way he was doing that. Listening he could also hear the sounds of hard breathing and a bit of scraping, so K-Unit were listening were they? Well it was time to put some of his super spy skills to use.

"Banana's"

Well…maybe not super spy…

"Huh, what was that?"

"Oh I'm sorry; I was just hungry and thought I would get a banana"

"Oh well alright then"

"Can I go?"

"Sure…what were we talking about?"  
"Nothing"

Alex walked off to his room and as the rest of K-Unit filed in Eagle gave a long whistle. "Man, that kid's good. He beat Wolf with one word"

Wolf, realising just what happened, slapped himself in the face. Outsmarted by a kid with the simple word Banana! Hopefully Snake and Ben would have better luck.

* * *

Alex, just as he thought he was going to do for a long time now, was doing some revision when a knock came at his door.

Wondering what it could be about he called a 'come in' and watched as Snake came into his room. Out of all four members of the original K-Unit Snake was the one Alex knew least about, after Eagle who was becoming easier to read than a baby book. He knew Snake was the medic of the team and is Scottish and…that was about it. Oh and he was also the calmest one.

"Hey Cub, I think it's time for me to check how your healing, you mind taking your shirt of so I can check, I promised the doctor and after what happened to Wolf and Fox' he stifled a chuckle 'I don't think it'd be a very good thing to disobey him"

Alex nodded, also remembering the fun he'd had and was in the process of taking of his shirt when his mind shot to the bullet wound on his chest. Hurriedly he put it back done and looked up to see Snakes bemused expression.

"Something wrong or you got something to hide under there"

Trying to look casual while folding his arms Alex replied "No, I'm just a bit cold, could we do it when it's warmer?"

Snake's features softened as he grasped that Cub didn't want anyone knowing about his bullet wound, he might as well tell he boy he did, maybe he shouldn't say the others did too.

"Cub, I know" he told Alex who's eyes widened but then filled with tiredness. He wasn't sure if he'd like what was going to happen, would he demand question or go and fuss over it. Two things he _hated. _

"How?"

"When I was checking your injuries when we found you I saw"

Alex's eyes creased together and once released he asked "Do the others no"

"…no, just me"

A little tension released from Alex's shoulders but not all of it, as he was still anticipating something.

"Will you just let me check your wounds; I can also check how the scar is doing. But in any case can you please take off your top so I can see them"

Alex gave a small humph at being ordered which Snake grinned out and took his top off. He hadn't really given his pain much thought since being here, his mind had been more focused on work and such but now he was concentrating he could feel the prickle of pain tingling on his burns. The strain of bending over so much to write was also starting to show.

Alex sat on his bed and Snake sat next to him checking his bandages and soon Alex's mind wandered. He was brought back when Snake mumbled "How old is it?"

"A few months I think **[2]**"

"Hmm… where"

Snake was trying to pry information out while Alex thought he wasn't really concentrating. Truth was Alex was and he'd suspected something like this happening again so he wasn't going to almost speak again.

"Just..." Alex deliberately made his voice sound muffled.

"Say again?" Snake asked.

"Oh just…" again it was muffled so nothing really came out.

"Err, I can't really hear you"

"Oh too bad, your done right?"

Snake's eyebrows knitted together as he knew Alex wasn't going to say anything. Time to leave it to Ben he thought as he got up and paused by the door.

"Everything's fine but tomorrow I'll be changing the bandages"

Alex nodded while putting his shirt on and Snake gave a curt dip of the head he left feeling slightly angry at himself for not doing anything to get him to talk. Then again, he was only SAS, that's why they had an MI6 for this sort of thing. He walked into the lounge and when three pairs of eyes looked at him he shook his head and Ben started his own plan which didn't involve the direct approach seeing as that worked so well.

* * *

"I request to have Alex Rider's folder"

Alan Blunt raised an eyebrow, he was surprised to see the operative taking care of Alex so soon but knowing the reason he understood why. Not that he was going to give it too him straight away.

"May I ask why?"

"As one of his legal guardians I think it is out right to know what he has been through and especially the reason behind his bullet wound"

Blunts lips pursed at this but other than that he showed nothing.

"I'm afraid we don't give agents folders out"

Mrs Jones took this moment to come in unwrapping a peppermint quite noisily. She took one look at Ben and greeted "Agent Daniels"

"Mrs. Jones" he greeted her back and then went back to Blunt. "Just this once, look, Alex has been getting nightmares all because of YOUR missions' did Jones just look guilty? 'and by having his file we'll have an understand of what his missions have consisted off and with that begin to help him through it and hopefully stop the nightmares"

"Alan…"

"Fine, Mrs Jones, go find Mr Rider's file for Agent Daniels please"

Mrs Jones smiled to Ben on her way out. It seemed she was getting a soft spot for the young spy.

Ten freakishly uncomfortable minutes later Mrs Jones came in carrying a file that was held together with a large band. She handed it to Ben who thanked her and then bid goodbye to Blunt and Jones in the most civilised way possible while having the voice in his head go 'Yes! Finally, I did it!'

He was like Eagle after sugar the way he beamed through the front door in the afternoon. Thankfully Alex wasn't there but to be safe they weren't going to open it until he had gone to bed.

After a quick dinner of macaroni and cheese (one of the few meals any of the men could make) Alex went to bed tired from being up so long. Dinner had been quiet with all the men wanting to open the file as quickly as possible.

That was why when they heard Alex's door shut Eagle practically ran to Wolf's room to get the folder which earned him a light punch from Wolf for entering his room.

Eagle held the folder as if it were a precious jewel and gazed at it longingly…until Wolf ripped it from his hand, tugged of the band and opened the folder spreading it's contents all around.

What they saw shocked them all…

THE SHEETS WERE BLANK!

**Don't you just love it when that happens, people get so excited only for it to be replaced by annoyance. Well, I do. **

**So, new language time (: Sie sind alle so super! Vielen Dank dafur! (This was used by a translator. **

**Now because I got so many reviews for my last chapter, shout outs for all of you!!! **_**Snowfire7 – **_**Thank you so much! James is very popular. **_**Marisje – **_**I loved putting in the tickling. **_**K-UNITisHERE – **_**Here's your update (: **_**RO-Z 28 – **_**Don't worry and I shall just have to wonder what you chose! I'm sorry if it doesn't win and thank you (: **_**witty kitty01 – **_**The car was so random -_-' **_**baldy911 – **_**Thank you! (: **_**Lacy **_**thank you! **_**red rose of love – **_**I agree Alex should feel like a kid more and I don't know how I'm managing to update! Thank you! **_**waywarddaughter – **_**Hehe thank you, I thought it made it seem Alex Ben which it shouldn't -_-'. **_**Iamawsome- **_**I'm going to see them in concert next year (: and thank you! **_**i – **_**Haha thank you, I will try to add some more cuteness, I don't know how but I will at some point! **_**Dottie-10 – **_**No one knows what Wolf's name is but James just seems to fit, thank you so much (: **_**DotCom-WDB – **_**Jeeves, that would go very nicely for a humor fic…anyway ,thank you (: **_**kate – **_**maybe not paintballing as many have done that I would like a new bonding experious, hmm, what to choose… err yeh, thank you!! (:**

**And also a HUGE thank you to all those of you reading and have put favourites and alerts as always, I always get new ones which I love. Please carry on reading and if you haven't answered the poll don't forget to do so (only 4 more since last time not counting reviews), James is still wining with Andrew and Lucas behind I think. **

**So, now I have a question, as this story can go anywhere in the middle. What would you like.**

**Little actions scenes between and less life with k-unit stuff with big finish**

**More life with k-unit with maybe 2 or 3 action (defo having 1) with big finish**

**I honestly don't mind, I could try and do both mixed together but that would be really hard. Life with k-unit might be more fun so I suggest that but I don't mind, I'll go with the flow… :D Bye! (I'm so weird -_-')**

**[1] Bad name I know**

**[2] I don't know how long it was, sorry :( **


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I'm still only on the first chapter of crocodile tears so I hope this lets u know I own squat. **

All those pages…with nothing on them…

From outside the door, Alex grinned. He hadn't thought his plan would ever have ever been done for something so amusing.

_Flashback – soon after Snakehead_

"_Smithers?" Alex held the phone to his chin waiting for a reply. He was glad when Smithers had given him his number after one of his missions in case he ever needed an emergency gadget. _

"_Alex m'boy! What can I do for you?" Alex smiled at Smithers ever jolly tone, he could not help smile at it. _

"_I was just wondering; do you know where my file is…"_

_In the end Alex managed to convince Smithers to take Alex's file, remove the documents and replace it with an equal amount of blank paper. Alex knew that as they regarded themselves top on security MI6 would never look in there unless they really needed to. _

_The reason Alex did this was because he did not what Blunt distributing his file to anyone. He would rather keep his life to himself, if he chose to reveal it fine, but other than that it was to be kept quiet. His life was his, even with how little choice he had over it. _

_He didn't ask for the files to be destroyed though, one day maybe he could write a book about it. A series of a teenage spy…it could sell. So instead of destroying it he asked if Smithers would keep a hold of it and in return he could read it and see how his gadgets came in handy. Safe to say Smithers agreed. _

_Once that was done Jack called him down for dinner and he thought of all the possible titles for his stories. Maybe he could call the first one Stormbreaker _**[1]**_._

Alex was now very pleased he asked Smithers to do what he did and after hearing the remarks of fury they all shouted he went to bed, but instead of a nightmare, he dreamt of his sixth birthday, it was odd but it was comforting.

Back in the lounge K-Unit were still letting out their anger using very colourful words. It went on for at least a good five minutes until they all wondered what could have happened.

"Maybe Cub swapped them?" said Snake.

"How could he do that, I doubt even could find a way into his folder"

"Ok…then maybe Jones picked up the wrong thing"

"Think about it"

"…ok fine, what do _you _think"

Wolf growled but didn't answer. All the while Eagle was grinning and starting to rub his hands.

"It's my turn then!"  
Fox gave a thoughtful look then shook his head. "I don't think this tricking technique is going to work. Cub's a spy; he's been trained to look through trickery and deception. I think the best way is to get him to trust us first, see we're regular people, that sort of thing. All he's ever really known us is the hell makers at Breacon Beacons and not much else"  
"And what do you suggest we do then"

Once more Fox looked thoughtful and then a large grin spread over his face.

"I think I've got just the thing"

* * *

That morning Alex woke to the sound of crashing and then angry hushing. Leaning up on his shoulders he wondered what the heck was going on but then again he couldn't really be bothered to get up just get. Alex looked upon this new attitude he was adapting to and frowned. He hadn't exercised in a while and it seemed the lack of it was finally catching up with him. Alex made a mental note to do some jogging or something later in the day.

To get rid of his new found judgement he got ready for the day ahead and excited the hallway into the lounge where everything seemed normal and so he pretended that he hadn't heard anything. He wouldn't gain much if he told them he did.

A few eyes flickered up as Alex went to make himself some toast but nothing that looked odd. Maybe he'd imagined the earlier noise?

Well whatever happened it must have just been an accident like a plate smashing so he shrugged it off and went back to munching his toast and half watching the news on the TV. His full attention turned at the new headline.

(TV) "We have breaking news that the fire in Chelsea which was started at 2:00pm has finally been dealt with"

Fire? Wait, they would have seen it, wouldn't they? Looking towards the window he noticed the curtains were drawn so Alex jumped up and opened them. Sure enough there was the black mask covering the sky that could only be from a fire. He turned his head to look back at the news which now had all of the men's attention as well.

"Last night it was reported that a fire had started in the seemingly empty house down Coptall Road **[2]**. The fire department were called at 2:05 and they arrived to the house ten minutes later where the fire had spread quickly almost reaching the neighbouring houses. Fortunately the result of the fire spreading to the houses was diminished and for the next hour the fire team worked on the house until the fire was gone and they could inspect the damage and what could have caused it. We'll now go to Bill who is at the scene of the fire"

Alex's throat had gone dry and he ignored the worried glances K-Unit sent him. The camera switched scenes and the state of his old house was like a punch in the stomach for Alex. Nearly all of it had gone. Most of the bottom level had burnt away leaving the top to come crashing down to the ground and even some of that had burnt away. The only thing it some sort of condition was part of the hallway but even that looked terrible.

There was no way a fire could do that, especially if the fire department supposedly came so quickly. There must have been something else to destroy the house so much. Maybe…a bomb?

Alex already knew this was a deliberate attack but he wondered what the point of it was. Did it mean they really didn't know where he was, or was it just more revenge. Feeling a headache coming on his pushed aside his thoughts to listen to the fireman who was being interviewed.

"What are your theories on how the fire started?"

"Well we suspect, seeing as the fire burnt so quickly, that it was started by the cooker which exploded causing the fire to hit many parts of the kitchen and other rooms. This also destroyed the kitchen quickly bringing down the rooms above"  
"How could that have happened? It was reported no one was in the building so the cooker couldn't have been used"  
"We think that there must have been a gas leak and an electrical spark hit it. The voltage of the electricity must have been quite high to cause the explosion and it's a very good job the house was empty as I could not have guaranteed survival"

"I see, thank you for your time" The man turned to the camera "There will be a proper investigation later today. More news at 5pm. Thank you and goodbye"

The news finished and Alex just noticed how tightly he was clenching his hands. His toast was crumbling between his fist and his knuckles were turning white.

Someone had destroyed his home, the only place he could have felt safe was gone. Where was he going to go after he left K-Units house? He'd planned on going back there but now that idea was gone.

"Cub…" started Wolf who was alarmed at the news but also about Alex. Before Wolf could ask any more Alex stormed out and you could hear the slam of his door. Alex was really not in the best of moods at that moment.

"Should we still go?" asked Snake. He wasn't sure if Alex would want to do anything right then.

Ben nodded. "It'll help get his mind off it. Come on, we've planned it all out, it'll all work out" he said smiling slightly and closing his eyes. He leaned back into his chair hoping he was right.

* * *

It was a few hours later when K-Unit decided it was time to go. They all nominated Eagle to go get him as none of them really wanted to go for that uncomfortable feeling they always got when speaking to him.

Eagle went to the door and hesitated before knocking. He didn't hear anything but he supposed Alex wasn't in the talking mood so he opened it anyway. Inside he saw Alex hunched on his bed looking outside he window where smoke could still be seen. He didn't move an inch when Eagle entered which made Eagle feel like he was in one of those horror films that when the person turns they look scary and then try to kill you. He knew that wasn't possible but it was still unnerving.

"Hey Cub, you feeling ok?"

Eagle took a tentative step forward. He was really not good at comfort but he was going to give it a try.

No answer came so Eagle carried on. "Aaaanyway, we got a surprise for you but you're going to have to come out to the car first" A big grin spread on his face trying to coax Alex into going.

"…not interested"

Eagle's grin faded as it always did nowadays and his shoulders sagged. At least he'd got an answer.

He put on his best puppy dog eyes even though Alex wasn't looking and whined "but it's all been planned and we did it for you! So you've got to come otherwise it'd just be pointless"

"No thanks"

The kid was starting to get on his nerves, he wouldn't talk and he wouldn't do anything else instead. He was going to get something out of this kid if it killed him. Fox said he shouldn't but then again, when did he ever do what he was told?

"Why not, if it's because of your house burning down, I'm sorry but what we have planned should get your mind off it"  
Alex was now starting to realise Eagle wasn't going to go away that easily. He really didn't feel in the mood for whatever K-Unit had planned for him. His house was burnt down; everything that was his was gone. Of course he had the stuff in his room but nowhere that was really his to put it in. He had nothing left of his old life.

Determined to get Eagle away he decided to ask him something.

"How would you feel if this place burnt down and the only place you could call home you would be leaving? How would you feel if the only people you could turn to were the ones that ruined your life in the first place?"

Eagle's head shot up at the questions and immediately felt extremely bad for the spy. He guessed he really hadn't been that sympathetic with him losing his house and everything. But he was starting to get Alex to talk, which was more than he could say for the rest of his team. Perhaps now he started he would be willing to share more.

"When did they recruit you?"

Alex thought about it and decided he might as well share a bit, it felt a bit good to let them know what MI6 had put him through. He wouldn't tell him everything that had happened like Yassen, there were some things he couldn't tell anyone.

"When my uncle died… so almost a year ago"

A year… he should have been in school during that year; not doing god knows what in who knows where.

"How many missions have you been on?"

"Seven"

SEVEN IN ONE YEAR!!! That was a lot for one person. He knew Fox had only really done one proper mission during his time away which was a while ago. Fox had even got shot but he wouldn't say how or why. He was very tight-lipped about his spy life. Eagle was afraid of the answer for his next question.

"How dangerous are they"

"…what do you mean by that?"

Ah crap, that wasn't a good sign. "I mean, how many life or death situations have you had. That sort of thing"  
"Oh. Well then yeah, they're pretty dangerous"

Eagle felt sick. He'd really hoped that the cell thing was a one time only from some group who just got amusement out of torturing a kid; you get them psycho's all the time. Obviously it wasn't and Eagle wasn't sure if he could ask any more right now.

"Why…why are you doing it?"

"Well it I was just trying to make sure they kept Jack's visa but now I don't think there's any going back to a normal life"

Eagle bit his lip, he was right. Anyone who'd lived as an adult couldn't just go back to being a kid. His childhood was gone but Eagle was now positive they'd make sure Alex's youth wasn't gone yet.

"That's why we're here though" Eagle clapped Alex's shoulder "We made sure you didn't have to go straight to the MI6. But we can only do it if you cooperate" Eagle bounced up reverting back to his childlike manner.

"So come on and stop being a misery guts and come see our surprise, don't make me drag you"

For the first time Alex turned his head with a small smile.

"As if you could"

Eagle gave a soft smile and held the door open for Alex. On the way out Alex muttered a quite 'thanks'.

Eagle walked out after Alex with a slight skip to his step. He had actually managed to get to understand the boy. Where they had all failed he had succeeded! Oh he was going to take advantage of that.

Eagle saw how much he would get out of it when he saw the amazed expressions when they saw Alex happily going out without any argument. Then they saw Eagle's more than pleased expression and knew something had gone on and whatever made Eagle THAT happy was never good. But most things including Eagle weren't good.

"So we all on for the surprise" asked Ben looking at Alex.

With a weak nod they all looked very happy and all bounced up. "Let's go then!"

With Ben and Eagle getting so excited Snake followed suit and soon the three of them were bounding to the car.

Alex looked at Wolf who was watching the trio with exasperation and his face said 'they're soldiers?'

Wolf huffed and said "yeah yeah Cub, come on. I bet you they'd drive off without us when they're this hyped no matter what Eagle may have said earlier"

Alex gave a little chuckle and Wolf also grinned.

Alex got to the car and with a depressing sigh realised he would be trapped once again in between the two soldiers. The only difference was, was that Ben was driving.

Strapped in and only in minimal pain that to how carefully he put his seatbelt on the car grumbled and they were off to Alex didn't know where. In fact, that was a good point; he didn't know what they were doing.

"So…what's the big surprise?"

"If we told you it wouldn't be a surprise" came Wolf's voice form the front. Why was it when Wolf decided to be more playful Alex ended up hating it?

From then on whenever Alex tried to know where they were going all he would get was a 'surprise'. The waiting was killing him.

Soon he noticed the scenery was changing. Trees were becoming thicker and they were getting into a woodland area. Once more he tried the over used question.

"Should we tell him now?" asked Snake happily.

"Ok, Eagle, you can do the honours" said Wolf.

"We're going Camping!"

**I don't know what happened with this chap. At first I was going to do the camping bit then I wrote he looked at the news and the thing about his house just typed itself (with help from my dad). How mean am I being to Alex! (sorry Alex) Oh well, at least Eagle got his turn and acted mature. I hope you don't mind and the action should come in about 2 or 3 chapters, maybe the camping if I get some inspiration and it doesn't mess with what will happen next. **

**So now I know I uploaded 3 times last chap that's cos I'm so stupid. I put it up and THEN read, realise I've missed something, add it and then do it all over again. Sorry about that. **

**Now for shoutouts and this next language is thanks to UnfortunatelyMortal :) ****Takk for all støtten! Like last time I'm in a good mood and everyone gets shout outs cos I can't believe how many reviews I get. Not that I hate it, I LOVE it, especially the long ones. ****(P.s Still only 18 answers on the poll for Wolf's name, it will be revealed next chap!!! James is still winning)**

_**RO-Z 28**_** – I tried getting action in soon, then the fire started -_-' I always find it easier to write when I'm hyper, coke works wonders lol. **_**Lady Black-Malfoy – **_**Thank you for trying to help but this started out without a beta and I would prefer to finish it on my own. **_**VampirePrince4ever **_**– Thank you :) **_**Revasser – **_**Haha :) **_**Turn-On-The-Stars **_**– Sorry Eagle wasn't funny but I think it would be nice if Eagle found out maturely… and I couldn't think of anything -_-' **_**K-UNITisHERE- **_**Thanks so much :) **_**Snowfire7 – **_**Thank you :D **_**red rose of love – **_**I didn't know the ending was good personally :) **_**Dottie-10 – **_**I think you might be getting your wish :) **_**Fox Cub – **_**I think it comes from In Loco Parentis (which is fab) but it's the authors which is why I'm changing the last name, especially if James wins the poll. **_**eaglestriker – **_**Thank you :) **_**hollyblue – **_**Thank you so much :) **_**UnfortunatelyMortal – **_**Thank you for the long review and the languages :) Sorry about the cliff hanger!! Your review was so nice, even with the names XD (except the last :D) and about the bullet wound…I don't know -_-' perhaps because it was so close to his heart, umm… yeah…I got nothing really -_- But thank you so much once again! **_**i – **_**I think I'm being very mean to him now, not really intentional and thank you so much!**

**I loved all of your reviews and I'm so sorry about how long it took to update but I've got concerts coming up (I'm in choir) which involves AFTER SCHOOL rehearsals till 5!!! Waaa :'(. Anyway, updates may be becoming regularly longer, not just a couple of days, again SO SORRY TO ALL OF YOU WHO ASK FOR QUICK UPDATES. **

**Until next time… :) **

**[1] Don't look at me like that…I couldn't help myself!!**

**[2] I asked my friend to give a random name and that's what I got. **


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Sadly I still do not own Alex Rider any more than I did in the last chapter. P.S I've NEVER been camping so I apologize but remember they just went to a random wood, no park thing or whatever! Thanks!**

Camping. They were going camping. In a forest. For a night.

Alex remembered when Ian had once taken him camping to teach him some survival skills. He'd been about seven at the time and one night they were walking in the forest and he lost Ian, although now he realised that as intentional, he didn't know then so was forced to spend the night trying to locate the camp and also find food as he hadn't eaten since the morning.

Eventually he had to go to sleep as he could barely stand upright and took refuge in the low branches of the trees. After waking up Ian miraculously 'found' him and congratulated him on how he used the wilderness to his advantage. Alex wouldn't talk to him for a week (partly because Ian had to go on a mission after two days) and because of that Alex really didn't have any fond memories of camping.

It wasn't as if he could do anything though. Saying anything would just disappoint them and he didn't really want to ruin it for them, after all, they did it for him. He just hoped he would have a better experience.

* * *

"This goes here doesn't it?"

"It says attach pole A to nail B"

"Oh….this says F"

"Well find B then"

Alex rubbed the bridge of his nose as he watched the men fumble around with the newly bought tent. He couldn't believe they didn't know how to put it up. He would offer to help…but he would rather let them figure it out for themselves even though they were just being pitiful now. That is why he lifted the nail that was by his foot and handed it to Snake.

Snake looked at it and mumbled thanks and went back to work with a slightly red face. He didn't like how the kid knew more than they did but it really wasn't their fault. Who knew tents were so hard to put up, the ones in the SAS were easy, a few sticks and a cover and you were good to go. These ones were just stupid.

Now Alex, after a few minutes finding he was quite bored, decided to go for a wander around the camp and after he felt it had been a reasonable amount of time he went back to see if they were done yet.

Treading through the tree's he went into the clearing… and could barely contain the laughter he had inside him.

Wolf was angrily pocking at the fire he'd made while Fox was trying to put the tent up on his own looking thoroughly confused and agitated. Snake and Eagle had just resorted to putting the blankets over a branch and taking refuge under the limited space while playing with a pack of cards.

It was when they all stared at him at once with their varied expressions that Alex burst out laughing.

* * *

It took some time (and a bit of begging) for Alex to finally give into the demand that he had to put it up for them. He'd needed their help as well and Alex found quite a bit of amusement from bossing them around. The men noticed it but just wanted to get it over.

More smugness came when twenty minutes later they were finished and the tent was surprisingly smaller than they first thought. Wolf went to check the packet and swore.

"It's the wrong size!"

"Then why did you buy it!"

"…I had the assistant help"  
"Riiight"

"It's the truth!"

Snake sighed. "Come on guys, let's just have some lunch. I'm starving"  
Snake went over to the pack that held all their food and just as he placed his hand on it he noticed a hole in the back of it. Biting his lip his fears were proved true when he opened the pack and the food was gone and if you looked closely you could see tiny claw marks.

"Hey Snake, what's taking so long, food jumping away from you?" called Fox jokingly.

Snake turned to face the rest of them with his anxious expression. "Well I wouldn't say jumped exactly…"

"The foods been taken, hasn't it" said Wolf thinking of who was meant to be watching the food so he could punish them.

"....yeah"

"Great! Just great!" muttered Wolf angrily.

"We could just go back" suggested Alex who at the moment was thinking that would be a very good idea.

Fox sighed and said "I suppose but then this will be ruined"  
Seeing they didn't really want to have to go back Alex came up with another idea. "What about just finding the food, I'm sure you've had exercises like this before, all that wilderness survival stuff"

"He's right; this could just be like training!" Eagle cried out.

"Yippee" said Wolf's voice, the sarcasm dripping off.

"Come on, don't be that way! It'll be fun!" said Ben clapping Wolf round the back.

"Oh yes. Oodles"

* * *

An hour later and all they had to show was a couple of berries and a handful of edible leaves according to Snake. There had been mushrooms Eagle had been eager to pick until Snake told him that one bite and he'd be sick for a week, even more and he'd be dead. Eagle made sure to ask Snake every time he found something that looked like food.

They'd ruled out meat as they had no guns and didn't want to be inhumane despite Wolf's feeble arguments of 'survival of the fittest'.

So that was why they were now sitting on their logs gazing at the excuse for food. It was depressing really; they should have been able to produce much more. Thank God the sergeant wasn't there right now.

"Dibs on that one" called Eagle unexpectedly causing Alex who was sitting next to him to judge. Eagle pointed to the largest berry they'd found (it was a good three times larger) and unknown to him or the others, Alex, who was starving, also wanted the biggest one and he wasn't afraid to let his teenager side out for it.

"You don't get it just for dibs. If anyone should get it its me!"

Eagle raised an eyebrow ready for a challenge while the rest of the men watched the exchange.

"Oh yeah and how'd you figure that?"

"I'm the only one who's managed to get anything done here"

"Well you could have stepped in sooner so you don't deserve it"  
"Do to"

"Do not"

"Do. To."

"Do. Not!"

Alex gave a quick smirk and then changed it to a resigned look.

"Alright then. You win; I guess I just don't have it in me"

Everyone BUT Eagle knew something was up so they weren't very surprised when Alex got up, took a few steps forward and then darted back grabbing the berry. Before he could shove it into his mouth Eagle just leapt on him and although Alex felt the twinge in his chest he was too busy trying to keep the berry from Eagle without squishing it.

"Give me it now!" Eagle yelled and almost burst Alex's eardrum.

"Never!" Alex yelled.

The small wrestle continued until Ben felt it time to step in and he pried the two of each other.

"Right, you two, apologize now" Ben commanded as he held Eagle while an amused Wolf held back Alex. Boy and Eagle were giving death glares at each other.

When neither spoke Ben said in a more menacing voice "NOW"

Alex scuffed his foot and mumbled a sorry while Eagle humphed and said sorry.

"Cub, give me the berry, we've all got to eat you know"

Alex gave a sad look at the berry and passed the berry to Ben (who made sure to push Eagle away as far as possible) and promptly stuck it in his mouth and swallowed.

Ben lifted his head down and saw two gob-smacked faces looking at him. He gave himself two seconds to jump away and run when he fell flat on the floor with two lumps flat on his back.

He turned his head just enough to look at Wolf who grinned and waved.

Now it was a two on one fight and just as Alex moved past Eagle he felt a drop of something fall on the back of his neck. He stopped and looked up at the sky and saw blue skies turn to grey and dark clouds cover the skies.

"Hey, I think it's about to rain"

The others looked up and the little drips of rain became bigger and faster and soon they were running through the trees soaked to the bone and trying to remember where the tent was.

It took a while but that was because soon they were so wet trying to avoid it would be pointless so they just allowed the rain to fall on them. Their past cheerfulness was gone and replaced with a gloomy depression at how it was all turning out.

"Well, at least it can't get any worse!" said Eagle trying to be cheerful but all he got was a whack from Wolf who replied "You've cursed us now!"

"Huh?"

They entered the campsite and at what they saw Eagle got another whack twice as hard.

"I told you so!"

The tent had been completely soaked and it may have said it was sturdy but it didn't look like that now. It was flat on the floor, the nails having sunk into the wet mud.

Even more depressed than they were before they waited for the rain to pass which took about an hour and then set about trying to fix the tent. Twenty minutes later and it was sure that the tent wouldn't be back up any time soon so instead Snake stared on making what he considered 'dinner'.

Placed on the damp floor they looked at the mush on their plates that was the mashed berries mixed into the edible leaves. Honestly it looked disgusting but it was the best they were going to get and they thanked Snake.

"I feel like a bloody rabbit" muttered Alex under his breath.

"Language" scolded Wolf without realising it and then mentally cursed himself.

As the others smothered laughs Alex retorted "Bloody isn't a swear word and you've said worse"

"I'm allowed to"

"Why"

"Just am now shut up"

Alex snickered and then a question came into his head.

"What's your name?"

Wolf stopped eating and glanced back at his other team mates who nodded.

"He might as well know" said Snake.

"Ok then… My name is James Lobezno** [1]**"

"Young Wolf?" said Alex faintly surprised.

"You speak Spanish?" said Wolf also in mild shock.

Alex nodded and then Eagle butted in with "Wait for our turns before you start some Spanish thing where you will probably mock us!"

Wolf chuckled and let the others get their turn. Eagle started.

"I'm Derek Young! And that's without the wolf"

"Fitting" said Alex and Eagle looked at him in confusion before looking at Snake.

"John Gray"

"Alright" Alex was about to leave it there seeing as he knew Ben but then both of them realised the others didn't.

"I'm Ben Daniels"

Alex had to hide and grin and Ben did too he noticed. The SAS men looked at them and knew something was up but they had no doubt that they wouldn't be able to get it out of them.

"Oh and repeat them to ANYONE or speak it outside this forest then you will be like the animal I wanted to kill"

Alex laughed and held up his hands. "I wouldn't dare…James"

* * *

As the tent was out of commission each person had chosen a spot to call their bed. As Alex was small enough he'd been able to go on a few braches up in a tree with a blanket. It wasn't the most comfortable but it would have to do. At least he was out of range of Eagle's snoring.

Night fell and each man was asleep meaning the boy was awake climbing down the tree. He'd woken up and needed to do his 'business'.

Alex had been able to make no noise as he went down and he went quite a far way away; he didn't want any of them stumbling upon him.

Alex did his business and turned to go back when he heard something rustle. It could have been an animal but after this spy stuff he'd learnt to expect different.

"Who's there" Alex called out.

He'd expected (or hoped) to see a sheepish Eagle or some other SAS man pop out but instead he heard a larger rustle and was too late to stop the cloth that was shoved onto his face.

Reactively taking a deep breath he smelt chloroform make its way into his system so he digged his shoulder back into his attacker and got the cloth away from him. His attacker stumbled back and when Alex looked he was of course wearing all black and covered anything that might give him away.

Alex stood in the fighting position and the man copied him. Seeing as a large amount of fighting might reopen some wounds he allowed the man to strike first and he would stay defensive until the right moment.

He didn't have to wait long and the stranger attacked with a strong palm heel strike that, had it made contact, might have possible broken his nose and it could have been pushed back into his brain **[2]**.

To avoid it Alex did an upper block and pushed the man off him and with amazing speed the masked man who came with a groin kick which Alex almost let hit. Just as the leg came at him he dove out of the way into a roll and stood up breathing just slightly harder than normal, his body still recuperating his endurance.

The speed the man was moving was now getting ridiculous. It seemed he didn't waste anytime and one attack came after the other and Alex was finding it difficult to breath through it all. His bullet wound was pounding causing him to lose focus and he was quite sure the dressing had come off a few of his burns but it was too dark to see.

Alex had just come up from a duck to the floor to find he couldn't see the man anywhere. He turned and then an impending force came onto his back and he could feel hands latch around him in a bear hug.

Reaction made him do an escape bear hug but it drained the little strength he had left and he could not dodge the front kick that was aimed right at his bullet wound. The strike hit and Alex let out a silent scream as the pain flared through his whole body.

Alex was unconscious before he hit the ground.

**I'm not going to apologize for the late update as this will probably be the regular** **wait time. The names were revealed and thanks to everyone who voted or told me! I hope you don't mind the action but I looked up the names of the moves, and btw I am pretty bad at them, more action to come as well, so sorry if your face palming right now. The I apologize for the randomness in this chapter but I was in a really good mood. **

**Shoutouts for everyone once more and of course a new language! Another thanks to UnfortuanlyMortal for this. ****Tack för ert stöd! And I was just wondering if we could get to a hundred reviews for this chapter cos I think it would be so cool and nice to have three digits, if not fine but I would be nice as I said :). Babbling over…**_**R0-Z 28 – **_**Sorry if u didn't like the camping but there was action! I'm still only on the first chap on Croc Tears -_-'but thanks so much for all the reviews, and seriously, I babble to...its fine!!! **_**yamiyugi23- **_**Hope there was enough chaos! Thank youu :) **_**Dottie-10 – **_**Thank you soo much :D **_**tobyisking – **_**Awww thank you!!! I feel bad for Alex but its hard not to add it all **_**loser94 – **_**Thanks :D **_**K-UNITisHERE- **_**Here is your update :D **_**FoxGlade – **_**Ah, I see and thank you :) **_**marisje – **_**Thank you!! :D **_**hollyblue2 – **_**Merci :) **_**eaglestriker – **_**Here is the chapter!!! :) **_**i- **_**Sorry really quick updates wont happen :( but thank you and thank you for the lovely review. **_**.Weasel – **_**Um, I guess you didn't like the beginning then but thank you for the review. **

**Seriously all the reviews are lovely and just make me smile. I actually managed to write two pages before school today cos I felt like reading them and got so hyped up! And…until you read this again XD**

**[1] I was going to put Lobo which just meant Wolf but it didn't really sound very good. **

**[2]I don't remember where or how I found that out but I did and felt like adding it.**

**P.S you'd be surprised how research websites have become my friend during this. XD in case you were wondering, more past dreams next time. **


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Bet Anthony Horowitz never even thought about what I have in this chapter. **

_The smell of blood filled his nostrils and he could hear the sound of mini explosions in the distance. All around him were the dead bodies of his comrades and it was this that made his job so painful. So many had to die for a war that may never end or if it did, the only outcome would be more death. _

_Wolf looked at his team mates and nodded. They moved in but not before a large bomb could be dropped down above their heads. He'd just lead them into a death trap. Shouting "Move out!" they all ran and the explosion came down and…_

"Whoa!"

Wolf fell off the log he had been lying on and was now face down in the ground which was extremely muddy after the rain. He got up and wiped his face. He hated the dreams of him and his team's time in Afghanistan but this one was the one that haunted him most and was the cause of his team being moved back to England. If he hadn't been as stupid as to lead them out before checking above they wouldn't have got hurt.

Nobody blamed Wolf when they found out the burns they'd sustained would mean they had to be transported back but it didn't stop him from blaming himself.

But the past was the past and thankfully there was no permanent damage. He'd managed to get over it and now he really needed to find the water. The mud on his face was drying quickly.

Wolf looked around and it wasn't until ten minutes of searching he realised something was wrong, he didn't know what but he just had a feeling. He made a checklist in his head and mentally ticked off things as he went by.

Fox, check. Snake, check. Eagle…defiantly check (he was snoring as usual). Cub...ch…wait. Where was Cub? He wasn't in the tree Wolf had seen him make a bed in and he wasn't anywhere else otherwise he probably would have said something.

The other possibilities were he went for a walk or just needed to go to the loo. Just to make sure Alex was fine when he came back Wolf decided to wait up for him. It took half and hour **[1]** for Wolf to get the jest that maybe Cub wasn't coming back and something had happened to him so he woke up the others and told them what was going on.

"Right, the tracks start here, let's follow them"

Following Alex's earlier footsteps, thankfully the wet mud had kept them from disappearing, the team found themselves in the same part where not too long ago Alex had been taken.

"The tracks stop here" said Snake in a worried tone. This was not looking good at all.

"Well I think we can either assume that Cub either decided to climb some trees or he was taken by someone who knew what they were doing"

"Seeing as I don't think Cub's part ape I think we can assume someone has taken him' said Wolf "which means we had better split up. Everyone's got their mobiles right?"

A chorus of 'right' was chanted back at Wolf and then Wolf nodded at them to go

Each man went of in their own direction equally worried about Cubs' whereabouts and if anything had happened to him. These were not protected woods, anyone could just go in and out and no one would know. It was this fact that worried them most.

As the SAS just went in random directions Ben had more expertise in what to look for from what he'd learned from MI6. Searching around for a little bit he found what he'd been looking for. The leaves and grass looked like they were in an odd angle, like they'd been moved by something going through them.

This was what he'd been looking for and Ben used this long but hopefully promising method to find Alex.

* * *

Ergh, his head hurt like hell and every few seconds he would be thumped up and then back down again.

This along with a slow pain around his body and burning wrists is how Alex woke up but he didn't open his eyes. He'd rather let his capturer think he was asleep then strike. Yes it might be hard with his wrists bound but his feet weren't.

Alex took a few more moments to analyse himself for wounds when he heard a voice that was tinged with a Russian accent.

"I know your awake"

Alex now chose to open his eyes and they were wide from how he knew. As if reading his mind the answer came.

"Your breathing sped up and I realised you weren't as limp as you were before, there was some tension. And don't think about getting away, you wouldn't get very far"

Alex frowned more out of annoyance than being scared. He'd been in the kidnapped position many times and it wasn't fun, but it did come with some information depending on the capturer.

"Who are you?" Alex asked only now realising how hoarse he sounded.

"Someone who has been paid to get you"

"Any name?"

"…Kirill"

"Russian?"

"Obviously"

Alex was surprised at how easily Kirill had given up his name. It could have been a lie but somehow he sounded like he was telling the truth. Now was time to test how open he could be.

"Who paid you?"  
"I think you know"

Now Alex felt slightly scared, he had hoped it might not be them but now he knew it was them he knew how ridiculous it was thinking otherwise. He switched to a different tactic.

"The people I was with will know I'm missing, they'll come and find us"  
Kirill laughed and Alex knew that wasn't working.

"Really Alex, I am a trained assassin with the best training. I doubt some SAS men and newly recruited MI6 agent are going to be able to match me.

Alex grunted and looked down tired of keeping his head up. As he looked down he noticed how Kirill walked. Almost subconsciously as Kirill put one foot forward his other foot would swipe where the footprint was. Seeing as Kirill seemed to be doing it subconsciously Alex thought of a plan to at least make K-Units' and Bens' searching a little easier, that is, if they were searching.

Maybe they were still waiting for him to come back but if they waited any longer it would be too late and they were all asleep…

In any case he had to do something to make himself feel better. Seeing as if he used his hands and legs it would be obvious Alex was resorted to using his head. Bringing it up as high as he could Alex bashed it onto Kirill's back with as much force as he could.

It had the desired effect and Kirill stumbled forward making a large amount of tracks in the dirt. Kirill didn't notice the tracks and thought Alex was trying to escape so made sure he held a firm grip on Alex and then knocked him unconscious with a swift punch to the head. It wouldn't do any permanent damage but it would add to the headache.

* * *

_20 minutes later_

Ben almost cried with glee when he saw the large patch of swiped mud still fresh in the ground. Finding each part of the path had taken less time than he'd expected and he was beginning to think he'd taken a wrong turn. Now knowing he hadn't relieved him.

He wasn't sure why the marks were there but he was pretty sure Alex had been trying to give them a sign that they were going in the right direction. Ben felt a sliver off pride for the boy. He may not have wanted to be in the spy world but he was good at his job in moments of stress, when they're needed most.

He wasn't sure when to call the others but decided it should wait until he'd actually found them and got a location, it would be harder with the four of them going anyway and it would waste more time if he waited for them.

So Ben carried on going back once more to his look and find technique.

* * *

Why was it that Alex was still waking up with a headache that was worse than the last? Oh that's right; he was bloody punched in the head! All of this was not boding well with his sour mood and he grunted in annoyance and pain as he opened his eyes and raised his head slightly. His head fell back and Alex subconsciously played with his wrists to see how tightly it was bound. It seemed Kirill was taking no chances, they were metal.

"Your awake"  
There was that Russian accent and Alex moved his back so he was facing the man who had taken him. A light fire burned closely and although he could see the front of him it made no difference as the same mask was still on before.

"What's with the mask? You got an ugly face or something?"

Alex could just about see the movement of his lips tighten and Kirill replied "It does not matter"

"Ook" Alex drew the word out. He was an odd man but Alex was sure he was starting to recognise the voice from somewhere. It seemed familiar but he couldn't place it. Alex leant his head back and closed his eyes racking his brain for the information. A few moments later he had it. And he was anything but happy.

…_he opened the door and jutted back against the wall. Jack was tied to the chair gagged and with a large split on her forehead, he thought she was unconscious until her head lifted and red eyes looked at him with fear and sadness. _

_Surrounding her stood three men each with a gun, one pointing at Jacks head and the other two pointing at him. _

"_Alex Rider' the one pointing the gun at Jack spoke with a slow voice that did not hide a Russian accent. His face was covered as were the rest of the men and his eyes were a piercing blue that penetrated through your very skin. _

"_What do you want?" Even though his voice made him sound calm and in control inside he was a complete mess. These men were here for something, probably him, and Jack was tied to a chair. They could kill her with just one click. He had to be smart about this. _

"_We have come for you. So if you would please step nicely outside we can leave without any messy business"_

"_What if I say no?" asked Alex bouncing off slightly from the wall preparing for a fight. _

_The Russian man grabbed Jack's neck and she let out a scared and muffled gasp. Alex leapt forward but remained at a safe distance. _

"_I think if you want this woman to keep her life we will do as we say"_

_Alex wanted to fight but he knew if he made one move a bullet would be in Jack before he could even lift a finger. He had no choice, it was the only way Jack had a chance of staying alive. _

"_Fine"_

_With one last look at Jack who was mentally begging him not to do it Alex stepped outside where on man was waiting. The man grabbed his arms and pinned them behind his back. They began working and then he heard it. A single gunshot. _

_Alex let loose. "You said you wouldn't kill her!" he screamed. _

_The Russian man went past Alex and looked him in the eyes and said in an emotionless voice. _

"_There are two things I thought you would have learnt by now Alex. Number 1, never trust an assassin. Number 2, there are No witnesses"  
No matter how hard Alex tried he could not get free from the iron grip he was in and in the end he was bundled into a van, about to spend some of the worst days off his life. _

It was him, the one who killed her, the one who started it all. Him.

Kirill must have noticed a change in Alex as he stared at him intently.

"Have you figured it out?" he asked quietly as Alex felt a flurry of emotions befall him. Sadness, anger, angst and most of all guilt. Here he was facing the man who had killed the one person he could trust the most and he could do nothing to avenge her. All he could do was stare and watch.

"You…you killed her…Jack…" sadness came out and Alex felt a tear run down his face. Quickly he turned into the bark to cover them.

"Yes. I did"

"Why…why did you do it!? She did nothing wrong, she could have lived!" Anger mixed in and Alex was almost bellowing the words.

"No Alex, she couldn't. I told you. No witnesses. We didn't want MI6 involved although that didn't seem to happen"  
"Is that it, no witnesses? She wouldn't have done anything? She would've kept quiet!"

"Really, if positions were reversed would you keep it quiet? Would you just allow your mind to come up with all the possibilities of things we could be doing to her? No. So it was the only choice"

Kirill was right but it didn't ease Alex in the slightest.

"Why did you do it? What do you gain from this?"

"You already know Alex, it is the money I want, it is what anyone in this business wants. Yes there are those mad who do it for extreme pleasure but it is just money and also power"

"You would kill people for that?"  
"How many times have you asked that question? I would suspect they all say it is necessary and they would be right and wrong. It is not always necessary but it does make everything much easier"

Alex scoffed. "Easier? You're all the same, you think you can do what you like to the world and not get anything back but you're wrong. All the people I have spoken to have ended up dead and I will make sure you end up the same way one day"  
"Everyone must die Alex; it is a fact of life. With it, death is around the corner and you can either embrace it or fight it. I have learnt to embrace it so it would do no good to kill me"

"If only to get you out of this world would please me"

Kirill shrugged. "Your choice"

"So what are you going to do with me?"

"I am merely going to take you back. I do not take pleasure in killing children. I believe it is for adults"

Where had he heard that before? It sounded familiar as so many things did with this man. Alex head was starting to hurt more than usual and he felt emotionally drained so he just leant back and looked at the star sky. Anything was better than looking at him.

* * *

Ben had entered at the point that Alex and Kirill were talking about death and he immediately called the others. Thankfully they both seemed so caught up in their conversation neither noticed him.

He watched as Alex spoke about killing the man and yes he had all the right to but he wondered what made him speak of it so openly. Ben didn't really think much of the why though, only that Alex looked moderately alright, if a bit pale.

Their conversation ended and Ben hid back a bit to make sure there was no way he could be seen. It only took five minutes later for Snake to arrive shortly followed by Wolf and Eagle. All of them were happy to hear Alex was alright and they just needed a plan. Wolf, in command, organised them in the way he saw best.

"Stand in a square around them, in seven minutes time we all go in, this way there should be no escape route, clear?"

"Clear"

"Go"  
They got in formation and seven minutes went and they closed in, in the most subtle way possible.

Strangely it was Alex who heard them first and he had the knowledge it might be Wolf and the others. He made sure he didn't give anything away though and when Kirill looked at him he just glared.

Leaning back Alex waited and then Kirill noticed it as well. The slight movement coming from all directions and then the gentle patter on the ground. There were people coming and there was no where to run.

Wolf appeared first and quickly flashed a smile at Alex who returned it and faced Kirill.

"I think you've got some explaining to do"

Instead of answering Wolf he just said "You can tell the rest of them to come out"  
The three others came into the clearing and all gave their own greeting to Alex before acting like Wolf and surrounding Kirill.

"We don't like it when someone messes with one of our unit" started Eagle.

"and we especially don't like it when they kidnap them"  
Kirill just stared at each of them with a blank face before lashing out at Snake with a kick who grunted as it made contact and he fell to the floor.

"Eagle!"  
Eagle moved to the side and grabbed Kirill who had attempted to jump over Snake and pulled him to the floor. Kirill did a half back roll and then pushed up knocking Eagle's arms with his feet and getting upright.

Ben next went for a punch to the side which was easily blocked and Wolf filled in with a swipe kick **[2]** which Kirill jumped.

Snake, back in the game, tried to elbow Kirill in the gut at the same time Eagle kicked at his back. Kirill quickly moved to the side and then grabbed Snake's arm and threw him into Eagle. They both fell in a mess of tangled limbs and Wolf growled.

Aiming a brutal punch at Kirill's head he only just managed to dodge it and he missed the leap attack Ben launched.

It seemed like Kirill was going to get away but Wolf was not going to let him get far. A big kick on the back caught Kirill unawares and as he tried to move away Wolf gave another punch in direction of the back of his head.

Kirill was grounded and Wolf pinned his arms behind his back.

Eagle had just finished unlatching Alex from his binds and with a shaky start he made himself over to Wolf and Kirill.

As it had been going on Alex realised why all of it seemed familiar and now he was going to make sure.

Alex stared into the hard blue eyes and Kirill knew Alex knew.

"Who are you?" asked Alex barely above a whisper.

"My name is…Kirill Gregorovitch"

**Longest chapter yet! And I bet you guys are going WTH but all with be revealed next time. Now because it is quite late I will not be doing a language but I promise one for next time though you probably don't even care. **

**Anyway, action short because I can't do it but now I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has given me in total over a hundred reviews!!! And a special thank you to Phoenice Dutch for giving me my 100****th**** review!!!**

**Cos I'm sleepy going straight to shout outs.**

_**Turn-On-The-Stars**_** – I'm sorry it wasn't Yassen but you gave me a major plot bunny with that that made Kirill possible, and yes, it is slightly sad. **_** i- **_**Thank you :) but we all know Alex would never have just stayed in the tree. **_**Waywarddaighter – **_**Thank you and here is your update :) **_**marisje – **_**Your welcome and here's another. Thank you and I just go with what my mind comes up with…which can be scary O o **_**Rose 428 – **_**I like the new name :) and I love Christmas parties!!! I had my family one in November -_-' **_**only4you – Haha :) FoxGlade **_**– It does doesn't it. And here is your update :) **_**abbs – **_**I hope it is still exciting. **_**DotCom-WDB – **_**Hope you didn't die! And thank you :) **_**loser94 – **_**Aww thank you :) I hope it is still at the same quality! **_**Dottie-10 – **_**Thank you :) **_**Phoenice Dutch- **_**Ahh thank you so much for being my 100****th**** reviewer and it feels great :D Thanks so much! **_**randomness66- **_**Here's your update :)**

**Sorry if I sounded weird or anything, I am just tired but really wanted to upload it. Until next time everyone :D **

**[1] I wasn't really sure**

**[2] I couldn't be bothered to look up some fighting move names as its quite hard in my opinion. **


	11. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: How I would love to say I do but I do not :(**

Alex took a few seconds to register the name and then grabbed the mask and pulled it off Kirill. He could have been a second Yassen except for a few differences that made it not so.

There was the blond close cropped hair but in it were a few streaks of brown possibly died or just an odd birthmark **[1]**. There was also the different shape off nose which had probably been broken that made a difference along with other small features. There was also the fact he was slightly smaller.

"Yassen was your brother." It was not a question but a statement that could be the only reasonable explanation for this.

Kirill hesitated as if not sure if he should reveal anything but then it seemed he'd decided Alex already knew so nothing would come of denying it or keeping quiet. "Yes, he was my older brother"

"How?" Alex believed Kirill but what he didn't know was why no one had ever spoken of him, not even Yassen.

"I am sure I could give a long scientific on the explanation how but I'm sure you don't mean that. The reason I have not been heard off is because I am dead"

"Dead? Unless I'm talking to a ghost I think you should explain"

"When Yassen first joined there was doubt of his capability of the position so they gave him a test so he could prove himself. If he passed he would be allowed into SCORPIA, if not he would be killed"  
Alex had an idea of what that test was.

"For SCORPIA to accept him they decided he had to kill one family member and as our parents were dead they chose me. I was only fourteen at the time and had no idea that Yassen went to SCORPIA. I was sleeping in the small bungalow I shared with him when he came in and told me to use the secret exit he had built into the ground a few months before. I asked why but he juts told me to do it and never come back, he gave me some money and a ticket. He told me to go to our cousins who lived in Australia. I was confused by it all but I trusted him, so I went and I didn't see him until two years later"

"How did Yassen manage to convince them he killed you and wouldn't they have someone watching?"

"Before I went Yassen hugged me and I hadn't noticed him put one of those fake blood bags onto my back. As I was going to open the escape route I fell some pressure on my back which made me fall down the hatch but I did not realise Yassen had 'shot' me. The man watching Yassen was convinced and Yassen was also a good actor"

"He told you this when he saw you two years later"

"Yes, he was on an assignment in Australia and came to see me secretly. He told me this and also that it would be the last time I saw him for a long while. He did not tell me his job, just the word SCORPIA and too stay away from them. All I knew was that to gain his job he had to kill me and everything would turn out for the better. But of course that hasn't happened"  
"How did you end up working for them then?"

"A few months ago I went looking for him. Even though he told me not too I was worried about him and it had been a long time. I did not know what I was hoping for; I think just to see him alive and well. I found SCORPIA and I intended to spy on them in the hope of finding Yassen. I did quite well but eventually they caught me'

'They were impressed with how well I was able to spy on them and told me about Yassen. I thought they would kill me but they didn't, they hoped I would be as good as Yassen and offered me his job. It was either that or death and I chose to live and carry on in my brothers footsteps. I went to train at Malagosto but did not spend long there. Killing your housekeeper was my first assignment. This was my second"

Alex took a moment for it all to sink in. He was really starting to see Yassen in a new light, perhaps this was why he did not kill children, as his brother was only a child when he'd last seen him.

It was a shame he'd never get to ask.

It seemed Kirill had finished talking and didn't spend long deciding what to do. He punched him, hard in the stomach.

"That was for killing Jack"

Although Alex wanted to do many things to Kirill he knew he could never kill like this, with true purpose. Alex turned and walked away ignoring the anxious 'Cub?" that came his way.

He didn't stray too far, not forgetting what happened last time, but far enough for him to be on his own and recollect his thoughts. Yassen had a brother who worked for SCORPIA who nobody knew about till now. This brother killed Jack and although had said things earlier he now wasn't sure he could live up to them. Would Jack want him too? It was too confusing. For now he should go back and just let MI6 do what they wish with him. Yeah…that would be fine.

Alex did just that and entered with all of the men staring over Kirill who was on the floor.

"What happened?"  
Each of them jumped and Eagle even swore.

"Would someone tell him to please stop doing that!" he whined.

"Shut up Eagle" said Wolf "and to answer your question Cub, same thing that happened at the hospital"

"Care to remind me"

"You know, the guy who tried to capture you…ah damn"

Wolf had only just remembered they'd never actually told Alex what had happened at the hospital.

"So that's what happened"  
Wolf huffed annoyed at himself. "Yeah yeah, a man tried to capture you but we stopped him. Then he killed himself with this poison thing we think was put into his blood. Now we think the same thing's happened to him"  
Alex felt the corner of his mouth twitch. How…coincidental. Now Kirill with dead without it being his fault.

"I see"

"Now what I want to know is how you got involved with SCORPIA"

Alex turned to Ben's voice. The topic of how he knew them was one he was not going to share with them no matter what. Even though he had been tricked Alex could not really forgive himself for almost killing Mrs Jones.

No…they could never find out.

"That would be classified"  
"Would it have anything to do with your bullet mark?" asked Wolf looking extremely interested.

Alex sent a death glare to Snake who tore his gaze from it and said "I didn't tell them, Eagle did"

Alex sent his death glare to Eagle but couldn't really blame him; Alex hadn't sworn him to secrecy or anything. Alex let his glare drop but he still wouldn't tell them anything. They didn't need to know.

"Classified and that's all you're going to get from me"  
"Damn it Cub…"

Snake put a hand on Wolf's shoulder and shook his head. Wolf had a rigid face but it softened and he sighed.

"You know you can tell us Cub"

"I know, but there are just some things that need to be kept secret"

Wolf sighed again and then looked at Kirill.

"What are we going to do with him?" asked Eagle.

Strangely enough it was Alex who answered.

"We leave him here, we can tell MI6 to pick him up. He's not our problem"

"Oook" said Eagle partly wondering when Alex became boss.

"He's right, let's go, we don't have the room anyway" Wolf agreed.

The five of them left the body of Kirill and went to pack up their camp things. What they didn't see was the return of the rise and fall of his chest.

* * *

The journey back was spent with quite a few apologies about the trip and Snake making sure Alex felt fine.

Alex assured him he did except for the throbbing pain where his bullet wound was from when Kirill kicked him and the stinging from the binds around his wrists which were quite red. Snake promised he would find some cream for them and he also wanted to give Alex a check over in case of some wounds he didn't know about or wasn't telling. Alex agreed exasperated from it all and on the way back he got some sleep.

Perhaps it was the fact Alex was alone that Alex didn't have nightmares, he'd expected then and he was sure he was about to have one but it never happened. He wasn't really sure what was going on with his nightmares, sometimes they came and sometimes they didn't.

Now if only he could work on them not coming all the time…maybe that was asking for too much. At least for now he was content with them coming at the rate they were.

* * *

Alex had started shifting in his sleep and Snake and Eagle looked at each other.

"I think he's having another nightmare" stated Eagle.

"Well done Captain Obvious" said Wolf sarcastically "You know what to do"

Eagle looked at Snake and Snake moved Alex forward slightly and started rubbing him soothingly on the back. Alex immediately calmed down, his body seemed to be used to the comfort.

"What do you think is going to happen when he moves out?" asked Ben suddenly.

"MI6 will probably find somewhere for him" answered Wolf trying not too think about what really would happen.

"Somewhere where they'll have 24/7 access to him I bet" Ben muttered.

"What do you want to do Fox? We can't take him in permanently; it would just be awkward and ruin our jobs. There's nothing we can do"

Ben gave a long sigh. "I know but it's all just so damn **[2]** unfair. What ever possessed the MI6 to use a 14 year old kid is beyond me"

"Who knows what goes on it that man's head and personally I'd probably be better off not knowing. Come on, we're nearly there. I think we all need a shower"

* * *

Alex had just come out of the shower and now that everyone knew he had no reason to hide his bullet wound which meant he wouldn't always have to rush to get changed.

Thinking of his bullet wound he looked down on it and it looked quite swollen and he remembered he was supposed to tell Snake when he'd finished as it would be easier to check then.

Alex opened the door into the living room and was greeted with a hearty swear word by Wolf.

"Anything the matter?" he asked with a smirk.

"Don't mind him Cub, he's just mad because he forgot to tell us the new replacement for Fox is coming today, in two hours and we haven't got anything ready"

Alex looked around the room and saw how right he was. The camping stuff was lodged in a corner of the room, there were random bits and pieces everywhere and he bet they hadn't even thought of dinner.

"It's not my fault! A lot has happened and I forgot! Now Eagle, you me and Fox will start cleaning and Snake you call the Indian and then do that check up on Cub"

Alex watched as everyone rushed around. He looked at Snake who was looking more and more worried by the second.

"…closed? For inspections…yes I understand. Goodbye. Wolf, we have a problem. They aren't doing takeaways"

"Great, and Eagle allergic to Chinese and we all know that Mexican is a bad idea"

Alex sighed, how did these men survive? Alex thought back to recent meal times, the fanciest thing they'd have was macaroni and cheese.

"Snake, it looks like your going to have to wait for that check up, I'll be right back"

Everyone looked on in confusion as Alex went off to get changed.

Alex would have liked to have the check up as his chest was starting to get irritating but they were seemingly desperate and it would be cruel not to help. It would also give them some knowledge.

Alex came back out in faded jeans and a blue t-shirt and headed straight for the kitchen. He got in and had a look at what they had that was good for cooking and he could make a decent meal out of.

There was a disappointing amount. Fortunately there was a frosted chicken, some potatoes and peas. He could work with that. There was also some fruit which he could use for dessert, which was if they wanted to make a really good impression.

By now the four men had entered and were all looking shocked.

"Your going to catch flies, which trust me, won't be that hard unless you get cleaning"  
"You cook?!" exclaimed Ben incredulously.

"Jack taught me" said Alex simply. Just because she didn't like to didn't mean she couldn't.

"What are you making?" asked Eagle.

"Something that will take much longer to make unless you leave and let me work in peace!"

"Sounding like a real housewife aren't 'ya Cub" teased Wolf who laughed when Alex marched forward and shoved then all out with a final 'GO'

Everyone was now working on their own thing and the lounge was almost presentable and the smell of cooking chicken was wafting through the gaps in the door. Alex had pulled across the blinds that covered the kitchen from the lounge so no one could peek through and he was finding it quite relaxing. Almost like he was back in Chelsea cooking for him and Jack when she was just too tired…or lazy.

But both of those things were gone now and were never coming back. Alex was starting to come to terms with his new life now. He accepted he was never going to be in control and he found it was easier that way.

He found he also couldn't stop thinking about Kirill. How could he have turned into a killer so fast? Maybe they'd changed how it worked at Malagosto? Well he'd never know as he was never going there again.

Alex turned his thoughts back to the cooking and then called through the blinds "Desert as well?"  
"YES PLEASE" he heard Eagle shout. He could just imagine the rest of their eyes rolling just as he was.

Seeing as everything was just cooking Alex took out the oranges and some ice. He started off crushing the ice which felt quite good, like getting a workout. Once they were in small enough pieces, which wasn't hard considering the strength he'd built up over the past year he put them a large bowl and squeezed out the juice in the oranges and put the juice into the ice.

He'd have to make do without an ice cream maker and just put it straight into the freezer he decided. It might not work as well but it would suffice and if any of them complained he would threaten to never cook again and if all went well they would take heed to that threat.

Once everything was finished Alex had ended up making chicken, mash and peas for the main dish with an orange sorbet for dessert. Pleased with himself; Alex washed his hands and went outside into the lounge keeping the door closed. The rest of them were finishing up clearing and Alex sat down on the sofa.

"So what's the man like, the new member?"

"His codenames Puma and that's about the only real piece of information I've heard but word from Breacon is he's an arrogant jerk who demanded to be ranked up as soon as possible. Just our luck we get stuck with him"  
"Does he know about me?"

"Yes and no"

Alex raised an eyebrow.

"He's heard about you in Breacon and I don't think he was very happy. He thinks you were an embarrassment to the SAS"

"Not like some people"

"Hey, I thought your dad sent you, cut me some slack"  
"So I'll eat in my room?"

Wolf's eyes narrowed. "No Cub, if he doesn't like you being there it's his problem and could also give us reason to asked sergeant to get him off our team. Your part of this unit as well as if he can't get used to it tough"

The others agreed and Alex felt touched that they would care that much, though he wasn't going to go all soppy over it. It felt nice to have people who accepted him and would stick up for him.

"Thanks"

"No problem!" Wolf said as the doorbell rang.

Everyone turned at the doorbell with such dramatic expressions anyone else would have laughed as it looked like something off Eastenders.

"Who's going to open it?"  
Alex looked at the men who made no gesture of moving to open the door and then shook his head.

"I guess I'll do it then"

Alex snorted when they still didn't move and got up to the door. He put his hand on the door knob and hesitated.

He twisted it slightly and didn't get the whole way round as; as soon as he moved it the door was shoved open pushing him back into the wall and a freakishly large man stepped through.

"The names Puma…' Puma looked around the room and he gaze fell on Alex 'and WHO are you?"

**Hmmm I think I added a cooking lesson into this… Anyway I found this chapter quite hard to write for some reason but at least it's done. It may not be my best of work but I needed to write something. Before I forget I put a new poll on my profile if you're interested, cos I'm nosy :). And I would also like to add if I didn't explain anything enough or you still have question I will gladly pm you the answer.**

**The language I have chosen now is Italian because I am pretty sure I'm getting Italy for residential. Gracias tanto para el apoyo!!! And seriously thank you and I've realised I get 12 reviews each chapter now 0.o is it me or is that kinda weird and there not always the same people so it is kinda. **

**Onto shout outs. **_**kcll – **_**Ha-ha :D **_**rose angel 428- **_**I hope I explained it well enough and thank you :) **_**FoxGlade – **_**I haven't spoiled it yet and I don't intend to, unless for holidays and such! **_**loser94 – **_**Thank you :D **_**Lacy – **_**Ha-ha, I think most might have and thanks! :) **_**i- **_**Aww thank you so much, people like you really make my day and I hope the chapter was good enough! :) **_**Smiley – **_**Oh, hmm, you must call him or something then :) **_**JoBee 1- **_**Thank you :D**_** Sigmamu – **_**I never knew that and I still need to look that up. Thank you :) **_**hollyblue2 – **_**Bingo! And here is your update :) **_**.Warefare – **_**Aww poor you and lucky, I have one more week of school. I must admit, in a rehearsal I had my friend daint on me and it didn't seem good and then I felt faint! It wasn't a good day but get better soon and I have given you what you wanted :)**_** turn-on-the-stars – Well he punched him…and thank you :D**_

**I have been toying over the idea of a Alex + K-Unit thing, it won't be related to thins but I cant seem to think of anything. Ah well. Random-Hyper-Moment: ONLY 12 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS, HOPE YOUR ALL IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT!!!!**

…**sorry bout that but until next time, bye :D**

**[1] I know a girl who has that**

**[2] I seemed to be saying Damn a lot**


	12. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: 'sigh' still not mine**

"The names Puma and WHO are you?"

Alex kept his face blank and answered a simple "Alex". He could already tell the evening wasn't going to go well and the idea of eating in his room was becoming so much more appealing.

Puma sneered at Alex before saying "I didn't know any of you had kids, in fact, none of you look old enough"

Wolf, also, took an immediate dislike to the man but explained in a calmer manner as possible. "Alex is none of ours but…my nephew, he is only here on temporary basis and I forgot that you were coming until recently"

Alex knew why Wolf lied. Until they knew Puma a bit better who knew how he would take the news that Alex was Cub, the teen who had embarrassed the SAS. Looking at the man Alex knew he would not like a fight to break out…just yet. Give some time for Puma to adjust and then they would tell him. I don't think Wolf had expected just how violent looking Puma was.

He had a bald head which had a patch of skin which looked like something horrible had happened to it, the skin flaked and the inside of it and around it was red. It seemed old but new enough that it could still cause some pain. He also had muscles that rivalled Wolf and could even beat them. His short sleeved top did not hide the eight pack that had formed, nor the multiple small cuts that covered his arms along with a tattoo of an blood red eye that Alex felt unnerved by. He was by far the tallest man in the room nearing 7 foot and he had the sense of danger about him…all in all Alex decided he really really…really would rather just leave.

"You've had dinner right kid?" Puma addressed Alex rather rudely.

"_Alex _will be dining with us tonight" said Ben.

You could just see the annoyance flow from Puma and Alex tried hard to suppress a grin, it was always fun taunting the bad guys (well…rude men), especially when you didn't have to worry about them killing you. Yet.

"Fine" answered Puma, teeth gritted.

Alex gave an innocent smile as he went to get dinner, he probably wasn't helping his cause for when one of the others told Puma he was Cub but he couldn't help himself. Alex looked to the side and saw Wolf giving him a 'no funny business' look and made him consider just trying to get through the dinner. He really would rather Puma waited until after he knew for him to let loose.

"Does he know?" asked Puma gruffly to Wolf on the way to the table.

"He knows so you can speak freely about things" he answered.

"Good"

They all sat down except Alex who went to bring dinner in and everyone was amazed at how good it looked. None of them had really had a good home cooked meal in a while.

They all began digging in with all other than you know who thanking Alex for the meal. It truly was one of the best meals they'd had, or maybe they were just remembering the army food or for Puma, the food in the mess hall which was hardly better.

It started off relatively peaceful until Puma just suddenly asked Ben "you're the one I'm replacing aren't you, Frog right? What? Was the SAS too much for you to handle?"

Puma was starting to tread on thin ice and Ben replied tersely "It's Fox and I decided I was better suited to MI6"

Puma scoffed. "What do the MI6 do for the country, you never hear about them in the papers. My bet is it's a load of rubbish just to get some money. And isn't that where that Cub ended up. What were they thinking sending a bloody useless fourteen year old to an SAS camp?"

Everyone looked around at each other and Alex searched Wolf for an answer whether it was the time to tell him. Wolf shook his head slightly and went back to eating.

"MI6 do do a lot for the country, it's just its kept quiet, and you would be surprised how much Cub has done" Ben sent a secret grin to Alex who gave a slight smile back.

"Oh yes, I'm sure he's done tons" said Puma sarcastically before changing it to curiosity "How would you know?"

"I…' Ben decided it would finally be alright to tell his team and Puma, if it got him off Alex's back "have had the pleasure of working on a mission with him"

Everyone looked shocked including Alex who thought Ben wasn't supposed to tell anyone. It was mainly K-Unit who looked most shocked as they couldn't really believe Ben had waited this long to tell them and that he may not have ever done.

"It was probably some easy one, just surveillance" said Puma acting quite like an earlier Wolf.

Ben gave a short laugh. "You remember when Royal Blue exploded?"

Puma nodded, his face going grim.

"I was there and Cub was the one who blew it up, so no, it wasn't some surveillance. It's also how I got this"

Ben pulled down the corner of his t-shirt neck and exposed his right shoulder where there was a small hole that was red around the edges and has a small line in the middle where the skin had been sewn together. Alex flinched remembering when he'd seen Ben in that pool of blood.

Alex wasn't the only one who flinched, Puma did too. "Fine then but I still don't think that kids all he's cracked up to be. I don't like it"

Ben just gave a quiet sigh and dinner went back to its silent beginning. Once everyone was finished Alex collected the plates so he could go get desert with all but one saying another thank you.

From inside the kitchen (Alex had closed the door) Alex heard Puma starting asking questions about him. He wasn't sure why he had become such an interesting topic and he listened in while scooping out the bit too solid sorbet. He noticed once more how each time he dig into the ice and lifted his chest gave a painful twinge but he would tell Snake after dinner. He didn't want to show any weakness in front of Puma.

On the last scoop and a few seconds of mild coughing Alex washed his hands and then put a few orange shaving onto the sorbet along with a touch of Orange juice for a bit of sauce/flavouring. **[1]**

So far he'd heard Puma ask how old he was and how he knew about them. Too be honest K-Unit and Ben had been very convincing saying he'd overheard on of them on a phone call when he was younger and he was very mature. He was now wondering when they'd tell him the truth seeing as they were making it all so convincing, I thought they wanted tell him so if he wasn't ok with it they could speak to the sergeant.

What the heck, maybe they had a plan?

Alex gave another small cough before coming in with the desert and everyone turned too look.

The clueless Eagle shouted "Ice cream" and as he took his first bite got a bit of a shock.

"This isn't ice cream" he mumbled faintly disappointed "it tastes of oranges"

Puma sneered at Eagles behaviour muttering something along the lines of "a ridiculous excuse for a soldier" and Snake, Wolf and Ben raised eyebrows but didn't say anything, just daring him to make another remark.

Eagle gave a quiet moan, still slightly upset, ignoring Puma and asked the question he'd wanted too since his ice cream wasn't ice cream.

"What is it?"

"It's orange sorbet and it's not my fault you people haven't bought anything for me to work with" replied Alex.

Snake chuckled "Its alright Alex, just ignore Eagle here. It tastes fine. Right Puma?"

Eye turned on Puma and as he was centre of attention grunted out "It's nice"

"See!"

Alex gave a grin which twitched when he felt a twinge of pain in his chest. He wasn't sure if he should be getting worried about it or not but then again he'd lived through worse. Wolf did give him an inquiring look though so he just gave an innocent smile and took his first mouthful of sorbet.

It took a bit longer to melt than he would have liked but there were no more complaints and he thought he'd done a relatively good job. The silence was broken near the end of dessert when Wolf said "Seeing as you're going to be in our unit I think we need to know a few things about you, for future planning and such"

"Haven't you read my file?" Puma asked with an exasperated sigh.

"Normally a persons file is made while they are training and it's finished near the end, just before they are assigned a new unit but seeing as you were moved up so quickly they haven't got around to processing it yet **[2]**"

"Fine then. He's going to bed right?" Puma said jerking a thumb towards Alex who had just left through the kitchen door.

Ben knew that whatever he answered Alex would be listening in anyway, he was naturally curious. Might as well let Puma feel more at ease at revealing himself.

"Yep" said Ben with a bright smile.

Alex came back in and looked around the room as for some guidance on what they were doing next.

"Time for bed Alex, we want to talk to Puma privately"

Alex caught the look Ben gave him, nodded and bid everyone goodnight. He went out and slammed his room door shut so Puma would think he was inside when in fact he went back to the door that led into the lounge and put his ear as close to the keyhole as comfortably possible. He just caught the end of Wolf's question which seemed to be about his main fields of expertise.

Puma cleared his throat "Well my main fighting style is hand-to-hand combat but I'm not bad at analysing information"  
"Ok, now I think we should talk about injuries, other than the one visible which I will ask about later have you got any that could cause problems"  
"No, I have not got any other injuries, the one on my head was caused just before I got into the SAS. My father did not like the idea of the SAS; he thought it would be too dangerous, things just got out of hand"

Alex could tell he was lying, there was the fact how his father, or anyone would be able to do that too him. And also the fact that he spoke slower than normal, as if he had too think about what he was saying. That led to the questions, what actually happened and why was he lying about it.

"Right"

It seemed Wolf didn't believe it either but didn't press on it.

A few more questions later and Alex heard Puma excuse himself for the toilet. Alex had many possibilities of what would happen if he got caught so he ran to his room and took of his t-shirt. He decided he might as well go to bed at that point as he was getting tired so he got out and walked past Puma too get a glass of water. It would also help to make Puma think he'd been in his room the whole time.

He put on a pyjama t-shirt to hide the bullet wound and pulled on some baggy trousers quickly. Keeping his breathing under control and checking he didn't look red or anything he opened the door and went back giving a passing glance to Puma and nothing more. Alex didn't expect what happened next.

He'd just gone past Puma when he felt a hand grab around his wrist and yank him backwards. His instincts took over before he could think about anything. Alex grabbed the hand that held his wrist, kicked Puma in the stomach and pushed him into the wall. Now he could think again he realised he'd just probably blown his cover.

Alex looked at Puma who looked faintly pleased but mainly annoyed.

"I knew you were Cub. Nephew? You don't even look alike"

Alex faked ignorance.

"What are you talking about and why did you grab me?"

"Don't play dumb kid; you were in their Unit at Breacon weren't you. No teenager can do what you did"

"I take self defence lessons, what's the big deal"

"Explain those scars all over your arms; I noticed the minute I went in"

"I get into fights at school"

Puma got off the wall he was leaning on and closed up to Alex. Alex took a step backwards but could not do anymore as he felt the wall behind.

"You are Cub and I think you are a disgrace to all that I've worked for. I don't think for a minute that you earned your way into it. I think it was just the MI6 having a little fun in their messed up world. So you stay away from me kid and just remember. I don't like you and people who I don't like don't make it very far"

Puma pushed a hand onto Alex's chest and it was all he could take. The pain in his chest intensified and he couldn't breathe. The last thing Alex saw was Puma's face turn into one of shock and then it all disappeared.

**I know this chapter is short and late and I really really am sorry for that but my internet stopped working and then because of all the updates my dad had to do on the computer word kept freezing and I got very mad as none of it ever saved. I tried making it longer but I found it was quite hard and I'm not very sure about this chapter. I don't think it's as good as others. I'm going to skip the language and such and juts get onto the shout-outs but I will just say in English, you guys who review and add me to alert are what gets me to try hard for this and if you have any requests of what you would like to see in the story I would happily do it just one thing, I am not adding Yassen in this story. To me he is dead and not coming back. Sorry if I disappoint some of you. Anyway…**

_**loser94 – **_**It seems he didn't say soon enough **_**yamiyugi 23- **_**Hmm, Puma's certainly done that. **_**bb- **_**Thanks :) **_**Iamawesome- **_**Normally in each chapter I say thank you and such in a language and for that chapter I chose Italian as I am now defiantly going to Italy for a trip next year. Sorry for the confusion. **_**rose angel 248- **_**I like the name and that's good! **_**She-who-reads-too-much- **_**My holidays started yesterday so I will have more time for writing…maybe -_-' it's a busy time but thanks for reviewing :D **_**i- **_**Personally I think I may have overdone the cooking but thanks, I hoped the Yassen/Kirill thing would make sense, Alex telling about SCORPIA will be near the end I assure you, that isn't a spoiler is it? Hm. **_**MystikMidnightMurderr**__**- **_**Sorry it was as soon as I would have liked, stupid computer. **_**baldy911- **_**My friend randomly came up with the animal lol. **_**Turn-On-The-Stars – **_**I did make some of the sorbet bit up -_-' but it should work and a merry crimbo to you too! Only 2 and a half days!!! **_**loving it- **_**Thank you :) **_**Captain Nire – **_**I tried making him as much an arse as possible but I don't think I succeeded in writing why he hated Alex so much **_**KITTYkat90120- **_**Here it is :) **_**FoxGlade – **_**Here is your update and I don't know why but I have a soft spot for Kirill, that may change though later. **

**Again I don't think I succeeded in making this chapter what I wanted, not sure what that is, but I hope you like it anyway, I will try and make next one longer and better and remember, I'm open for ideas! Got a few myself but could be expanded!!! Until we next time and if that's after Christmas I should just say now have a merry Christmas and a happy new year though I hope I uupdate before then at least. **

**[1] Why do I care for the sorbet so much? **

**[2] I don't know what happens -_-'**


	13. Chapter 12

**Just going to say now this is late because on Boxing Day my brother had a surprise operation and I have been spending quite a lot of time visiting and worrying. Thankfully he should be coming home today if all is well. That's it. **

**Disclaimer: I got many things this Christmas, none of them to do with Alex Rider T T **

"Shit!"

Wolf looked at his team mates and ex team mate in surprise.

"I'll go see what happened"

Wolf got up, opened the door and shouted in much more violent words that Puma's. The three remaining men ran up towards Wolf and soon it was like a swearing contest. What they saw was an extremely shocked Puma standing over an unconscious Cub.

"I…" Puma started but was interrupted by an extremely angry Wolf.

"What the hell happened here?! Why is Alex unconscious?!"  
Puma started to get defensive and his shoulders heightened.

"How should I know all I did was touch his chest slightly and he went fainting on me. And why didn't you tell me he was Cub?"

"You have no bloody right to question me at this point, you go outside with Eagle and stay the hell away from him"

Puma narrowed his eyes and stiffly walked through the four men with Eagle following behind him. Once Puma was out the door and into the lounge Wolf let his angry aura fade as did the others and turned it into a slightly worried one. Snake went forward to Alex and did a check over.

"How is he, what did _he _do?"

Snake gave Alex's pupils a quick check and gave his analysis. "I think he was telling the truth and I had been concerned about this"

"We're not minder-readers Snake, concerned about what?"

Snake huffed and continued "Concerned about the fact the doctors gave him no painkillers and I think Cub should have had some for the bullet wound but I doubt he's been taking them. Did Alex look at all odd at any point?"

Wolf gave a quick thought and said "Well I did see him wince at one point but he looked so undisturbed afterwards I didn't really think it was really important... but anyway, is he going to be alright?"

"He'll be fine, his head may be slightly bruised from falling on the wall and his heart rate is a bit faster but if he's in a calm environment and gets the pain killers needed he should be fine by tomorrow evening…well better"

Wolf nodded feeling happier than when he first saw Cub until he remembered the arse sitting in his lounge.

"I'll go call sergeant about _him _and Snake you go put Alex in his room. Fox…you come with me and then when everything's sorted I think you've got some explaining to do"  
_____________________________________________________________________

Twenty minutes later Snake, Eagle and Ben were watching an annoyed Puma while listening to Wolf argue with the sergeant. Normally he wouldn't be so bold but he was seriously pissed of with the man about everything.

"But Sir he almost killed one of our Unit!" Maybe he was exaggerating a bit but there was almost the possibility…according to Wolf.

"I highly doubt that and I don't care if you have some issues with him. He was assigned to your Unit and there he will stay until you learn to get along or he really does kill one of you which I am seriously considering right now!"

"But..but" Wolf's voice faltered.

"Do not 'but' me solider, I say Puma stays in the Unit until I say otherwise. I will order him to come to me so I can see his side and then you will just deal with it. You will not whine to me understand?"

Wolf gave a silent humph. "Understood"

"Good! Now put me on the phone to Puma"  
"Ok"

Wolf shoved the phone to Puma who looked startled and put the phone to his ear.

"Sergeant"

"You are to report to me in my office A.S.A.P"

Puma spluttered "But that's all the way in Wales!"  
"Another 'but' man have we? Well you will get your butt all the way down here or you can see yourself back in training to improve your obedience skills!"

"I understand Sergeant"

"Good now go!"

The phone went dead and Puma slumped.

"Guess you'd better get going. Wales is a good distance away and oh, don't forget to add petrol" Ben said smugly.

Puma got up and went to the door. He was halfway out when he gruffly said "Say I'm sorry to the kid, didn't expect him to go and faint" With that he shut the door leaving the rest of the men baffled as to why he would care in the slightest. Maybe it was all an act or maybe he did feel bad.

Well whatever the reason Puma wouldn't be stepping inside those doors for as long as they could stop it. Now they had other things to focus on. Eyes turned at Ben who was reading a book but didn't look overly interested in it.

"So Fox, you had a mission with him and you didn't tell us"  
Ben put down his book and gave his answer in a most professional voice "I am not allowed to tell people of my missions as it could lead to me losing my job and…" Ben shuddered.

"Then why did you tell Puma" asked Eagle.

"Frankly he was on my last nerve and I felt Alex needed to be backed up a little bit, the kid was bloody amazing when I met him but it is not a life I would want for any child"

"So what's going to happen now you've revealed something?"

"Oh nothing, it was hardly revealing any state secrets was it?"  
"Well can you tell us what happened on the mission?"

Ben yawned "It's late and I'm tired so I'm going to cut a long story short. Met Alex, he went off undercover, found Alex, went to deactivate bomb, got shot by Yu and that's about all I can tell you except I did shoot a man before I was down. Not sure who he was"

"I know who he was"

The four men jumped at the new voice and one even gave a short 'Aaah'. Everyone turned to see Alex leaning on the wall his eyes emotionless.

Snake jumped up to Alex and started lecturing him about how he should stay in bed and if he does wake up not just sneak in and surprise everyone.

"Where is your medicine?"

"Medicine for what"

"Your bullet wound, you should have told me when you were feeling ill. So where is it, any sane doctor would have given you some. Bullet wounds, especially to the chest are known to not be pain free for a long time if forever"

Alex sighed, he'd realised this when he woke up which hadn't been long ago.

"It was in my house in Chelsea, I kind of forgot about it till now. But I hardly took it then so how was I supposed to know?"

Snake gave a frustrated sigh. "As I am a qualified doctor I should be able to get you some somewhere if I explain the situation. Next time tell us immediately, you're here to recover alright"

"Alright"

"Now that that's sorted who was he" piped up Ben.

Alex took some shaky steps forward, his breathing not perfect and sat down next to Eagle on the sofa.

"His name was Ash; he was a double agent with MI6 and Scorpia. He went on the mission with me but in the end he turned"

"So how did you get on this mission, blackmail? That's what they do isn't it?" asked Wolf.

Alex gave a small smile "Actually I wanted to"

"Why!" exclaimed Wolf.

"Ash… knew my parents, he was best man at my fathers wedding and then he ended up being my godfather"

Ben paled "Oh god Alex, I'm sorry" Although the man was a traitor Ben now felt guilty about killing Alex's last sort of relative.

Alex frowned "Don't be, he was the one who killed them, he planted the bomb on the plane"

Eagle let out a low whistle "Sounds like a drama episode"

Snake whacked Eagle on the back of the head. "This is no time for your jokes"  
Eagle pouted while Alex got up and went to the door "I'm going to sleep. Night"

* * *

The next day the Sergeant called saying that Puma has apologized and has been severely punished and that he will be staying in the Unit. He'd also said that they'd be back in for hard training if their dislike of each other got in the way of the battle or whatever they were doing at that point in the future. It weighed up to which they disliked more and the hard training won, at least with Puma they weren't waking with bruises everyday. He….was a different matter.

They had also decided to not let Alex go to school yet as his injuries had kept getting disturbed and added to the mild concussion Snake was sure he'd acquired from the fall. There was also the fact that the school he went to was quite away a way and they would like quick access to him in case anyone tried to kidnap him or such. It had happened enough times already and with the luck the kid had they wouldn't be surprised if it happened the first day he went back.

They didn't get the chance to tell Alex this until nearly lunch as he slept for a long time but that was due to his head and he looked disappointed when he heard. If everything had gone well he should have been going to school the next day but it seemed like he wouldn't be going back until the next week.

K-Unit and Ben could see how unhappy he was when he'd heard and decided they should do something to cheer him up.

"We could invite a friend of his over, I don't like the idea him going outside alone for anything" said Snake.

"Yes but how are we going to do that? We don't know who his friends are" argued Wolf.

"We could ask him" suggested Eagle.

"Wouldn't we want it to be a surprise?" Snake asked.

"'Cause that one turned out so well…"

"Well this one shouldn't go wrong, its just inviting another teenager round but that's bring us to the question again, how do we find out who his friends are?" retaliated Snake.

Ben who had been keeping quiet until now decided to choose this moment to solve his friend's problem. "It's a good job I got this then isn't it?" He pulled out Alex's mobile and held it out to them.

"This is great, trying to get Cub to trust us and what do we do? Steal his phone!" Exclaimed Wolf.

"Calm down I only took it to check it hadn't been bugged last night when it occurred to me. I also happened to stumble across his messages, by accident of course, and most of them seemed to be to and from a boy called Tom"

"So you say we should call this Tom and ask him?" said Wolf.

Ben shrugged.

Well we can't do it yet, it's Tuesday and he'll be in school right now so we'll have to wait. We'll call him when school finishes and ask if he can come straight away"

* * *

Alex stayed in his room as usual for most of the day which in the end worked out to their advantage, now they could call Tom without being overheard but just to make sure they went into the opposite corridor.

At 3:42pm **[1] **they called the number and waited for a reply.

"Al, is that you, where've you been?!"

Wolf gave an awkward cough and said "This isn't Alex, so your Alex's friend right?" Didn't hurt to make sure.

"Who's asking?" You could hear the suspicion in his voice.

"This is Wolf, I mean err… James. I'm one of Alex's guardians and wondered if…you'd come over and see Alex?"

"Wait Wolf! That Wolf! The one he trained with. That means you're an SAS soldier, that's so cool!"

Wolf frowned "He's told you?"

"Yeah, I'm the only one though, oh wait…I wasn't meant to say anything was I, ah he's going to kill me!"

Wolf sighed; this kid was sure an odd one. "We won't tell anyone you know, so will you do it?"

"Yeah as long as you tell me where I'm going. So what's wrong with him?"

"Alex was on a mission and got injured; I and my unit plus old member are taking care of his for now"

"Badly?" Now Tom sounded sad and Wolf wondered how many times he'd heard Alex had been injured.

"Enough to stay out of school for a while. Anyway…"

Wolf told Tom the directions to his house after asking where he was and Tom memorised it and he hung up with a quick bye. Tom didn't bother asking why Jack wasn't looking after him as he knew Alex should be able to answer and there were many other questions he wanted to ask but that could wait until he got there.

* * *

Wolf passed the mobile back to Ben who said he would put the phone back that night and they went to go back in the lounge to wait for the teen to arrive. Surprisingly they didn't have to wait long and there was a knock at the door.

Ben was the one who went and opened the door to see a small black haired boy with blue eyes. The boy, Tom, looked up at him and his eyes went wide.

"You're the one Alex had a mission with, Ben wasn't it?"

"How did you know that, I didn't even tell you my name" said a surprised Ben.

Tom smiled and tapped his nose much to Ben's annoyance.

"So can I come in?"

Ben moved to the side and Tom walked in. Then he started naming them all with a point correctly. Each man was surprised now and Tom just tapped his nose once again.

"So where's Al?"

"He's in there, the room opposite the bathroom" said Wolf.

"Ok"

Tom walked into the hallway and found the room. Instead of knocking or calling his name first he juts walked straight in with a loud 'Hello!'

Alex, who had been reading a Maths revision book turned to the source of the noise and was shocked when he found out who was standing there.

"Tom?"

Tom went in and sat on his bed. "Hey mate, heard you got a little busted up again and decided to come give you some company"

"Err…thanks? But how did you get here?"

"Call it intuition"

"Ok." Alex had learnt it was better not to ask questions.

"So…where's Jack?" Tom decided he might as well get that part over with.

Alex's eyes went dark and he turned from Tom's gaze. "She's gone"

"To America?" Tom was a bit confused. He thought about things and then it hit him.

"Did she…I mean is she…" he couldn't quite get the word out.

"Yeah, she's dead"

Tom gulped. He'd always liked Jack; she was sort of like a friend seeing as they were one of the only ones who knew about Alex. She was always nice to him and when they were waiting for Alex to get back from a mission she would always try and get their mind of things with activities. Now, she was dead.

"Al, I'm sorry. I didn't realise"

"It's ok"

Tom could see it wasn't ok and used his best strategy when Alex was feeling down. Distraction.

"So you live with that Unit who you trained with now?"  
"For the time being"  
"Have you had any fun with them yet?"

Alex gave a small smirk "A little"

"A little! Mate we need to give them proper payback. Good job my house was on the way here and I could pick a few things up"

Tom unzipped his backpack and produced an assortment of things that Tom had collected over the years that were made for this type of thing.

Oh they were going to have fun.

**There were two ways I could go with Alex being injured, I took the nicer option. I had a lot of fun with Tom and I need to keep Puma as he is a key character. So anyway 24 reviews!!!! I was so shocked when more kept coming and I loved it!!! Because of that I'm still giving everyone shoutouts but not saying a new language or anything cos otherwise this will go on forever. So I'll say now, hope you had a good Christmas and have a happy new year!**

_**IgiveLoveaBadname- **_**Well I didn't make Wolf go crazy, I still need Puma alive or out of hospital, lol. Thanks :) **_**Cloud74 – **_**Sorry I couldn't update but thank you :) **_**FoxGlade – **_**Haha, Puma needs to be the character he is for this story, its all in the plot :D **_**The First gatekeeper- **_**Update here :) **_**rose angel 428 – **_**Was it really? Here's the update :) **_**AlexRiderFan2 – **_**Thank you :D **_**UnfortunatelyMortal – **_**Wow, long review and maybe I could do a story, after this one of course hmmm…anyway my plan worked about making you think it was Yassen! I like the idea of that mother thing, and thank you so much, your awesome for giving such a long review! **_**Krhorsejumper97 – **_**I have given you your update :) **_**yamiyugi23 – **_**well they tried to get him off the team…and Alex wasn't hurt too bad this time :) **_**doctorwhobeth4 – **_**Aw thank you :D **_**emz23hilski- **_**here it is :) **_**randomness6- **_**Haha, I love that song, thank you :D**_** Johnny-on-the-spot – **_**Aww :( **_**marisje – **_**They weren't that great reactions but necessary I think. **_**Alo Amicus – **_**You'll just have to wait and see Mwahaha…err I agree about Yassen and thank you for the nice comments :) **_**Xx Kiamii xX- **_**Thanks :D **_**K-UNITisHERE- **_**I think I'm finally getting the hang of a cliffhanger, good for me, bad for you lol :) **_**i- **_**Haha, my computer is fine now and I know how annoying they can be. Thank you :) **_**baldy911- **_**That's me, cruel. Lol, thanks :) **_**Pheonice**__**Dutch- **_**I am starting to feel bad at how mean I'm being to Alex so I gave him a happy Tom to cheer him up!Thank you so much :D **_**loser94- **_**Yay! :) **_**bb-**_**Thanks :) ****TwilightHarryAndAlexRiderFan****- Here it is :)**

**Hmm, judging form last reviews, lets see if we can get to 175 or 180, I don't know but it would be nice, thanks every one who reads this as well ^_^**

**[1] I come out of school at 3:40, I'm not sure about anyone else. **


	14. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: 'Sigh' no, not yet**

To make their plan work Alex and Tom needed K-Unit and Ben out of the lounge so they asked them if they could leave while they had some guy time watching some TV. The men obliged, happy Alex was pleased and went to Wolf's room bringing in some food and drink so they wouldn't be disturbed the whole time. It was perfect.

It took a while to get it all set up but they knew it would be worth it. With their work done the two teens sat on the sofa and waited for them to come in.

Ten minutes later it was done and their plan was started with the opening of a door. Wolf came out first holding a bowl that held their food and looked at the boys.

"Alright?" he asked.

"Yep, but I think I heard a knock at the door a second ago"

"And you couldn't get it?"

Alex shrugged "Never know who it might be"

Wolf nodded in approval of Alex's answer "Ok, I'll go check"

The others heard and followed their team mate into the room and that was when the chaos started. They were walking over when they all (except Eagle) felt a tug at their feet and felt a pile of water and mud fall on top of them. Eagle moved forward out of the way and ended up hitting the second wire on the floor which created a mass of multicoloured paint to fall on top of him.

By this point the three remaining men covered in dirt headed towards Alex and Tom hitting the third and final wire causing feathers and honey to glop down on them and a bit on Eagles face as he had tripped when he'd hit his wire.

Now it was over Tom and Alex burst out laughing at the sight of the men who looked a mix between shock and anger. Once they knew it was over they now went over to Alex and Tom who stopped laughing at the glares they were receiving which were downright scary with them all at once.

"Tom" Wolf started to grind out between his teeth "I think you'd better go now and be thankful I don't know where you live"

Tom gulped and looked between K-Unit and Ben's glares and Alex's pleading face begging him not to leave him on his own and ended up saying a small 'bye' and ran out of the room quicker than you could say dead.

With Tom gone Alex was left alone at the mercy of the three men.

"You know I think that was my phone ringing, better answer it…" he began until Ben cut him off with a hand.

"Not going to work as I have your phone"

Alex gaped at him and was about to start raging about why Ben had his phone until Wolf let his anger out.

"What the hell is this?! I thought you were just meant to be watching the TV not setting up this! What were you thinking!"  
"…revenge?"

"For what?! I thought we'd past the Breacon Beacons thing!"

"Well Tom can be very convincing…"

Wolf sighed "Right, I can see your feeling better which is what we'd hoped but don't think you're going to get away with this without punishment"

Ben continued from here "You are going to clean up all this mess as it was you who made it and not get any help from us. We'll show you where the cleaning supplies are and that's it"

Alex gulped, all of it? Alex looked at the mess on the floor. There was water, dirt, paint, feathers and honey to clear of the cream carpet. Great, just to add to it, the carpet had to be a colour that showed everything. He was especially dreading the honey though.

"Oh and Alex"

Alex looked up at Snake.

"You'd better start now if you want to be done by tomorrow evening"

Alex followed his eyes to where Eagle was opening the cupboard which held the cleaning supplies. He also glanced at his watch which read 6:00 and Alex mentally groaned, this was going to take a while but Alex was not going to stop until he had got rid of all of it just to show he could handle anything they threw at him.

Without a word Alex went forward to the cupboard and took out a bucket and some carpet cleaner along with a scrubbing brush. Alex went to the kitchen sink and filled the bucket with water and as he came back K-Unit and Ben moved out of his way and went of to get washed.

Alex sat down and started cleaning and when they asked what he wanted for dinner (after finally getting all the junk of them) he just said he wasn't hungry, he was going to do this by the morning if it killed him.

K-Unit and Ben spent the time doing there own things but at some time or another their thoughts would go back to the boy cleaning the carpet. He was a strange one, for him to be so cold and distant to see him actually prank them was quite a shock and although they hadn't found it funny at the time maybe the teenager in him was coming out more and the spy deeper. Who knew if it would last as no one knew when Alex would be able to quit the spying but maybe they could just try and make sure he didn't lose it completely, make sure he had some innocence. But that would all start when he cleaned that blasted carpet he ruined. One thing they agreed was after that was to never leave him and Tom unsupervised again, which would happen when they finally allowed that Tom could actually come over again.

By 11:00 the men decided to turn in and were still amazed that the boy was still cleaning as he hadn't taken one break or eaten anything. So far he had unstuck all the feathers and come halfway through the paint which took a good half hour for each patch.

"You gonna go to sleep soon?" asked Ben slightly wondering if the boy was trying to make a statement or something by doing this.

"In a minute" Alex lied. He was going to get this done and prove he could handle it. He wasn't sure why he was so adamant to do it but it felt natural.

"Alright…night then"

So K-Unit went to bed and the next morning they woke to see Alex asleep on the floor which was surprisingly spotless. Wolf groaned.

"Why do I feel bad about this now? I shouldn't feel bad!" Snake smiled and then sighed.

"He shouldn't have been over exerting himself" I doubt just cleaning would have damaged the wounds but he still shouldn't have strained himself and come on, no one can do all that cleaning in one go without some strain but he should be fine if he gets some sleep"

"Alright, we'd better put him to bed then"

Eagle smirked "Doesn't sound so spy now"

Ben sighed in exasperation and went to pick up Alex who was surprisingly light for a fourteen year old. It made him consider if they were feeding him enough. He did have breakfast and he could make dinner but they weren't too good on lunch. Ben made a mental note to set some times for meals.

Ben got to Alex's room and pushed the door open with his elbow, he didn't bother with pyjama's or anything and he didn't think that would be such a good idea and Alex most likely would see the appreciative side of it. He ran a hand through his hair trying to work out the boy but if there was anything he'd learnt about Alex was that he was like one of those mystery books, you think you've got it all figured out then something happens to change your idea completely. Guess he's just have to try and finish the book.

* * *

It was one o clock by the time Alex came out changed and washed. He headed straight for the kitchen and just heard Wolf call out from the sofa "Good job Cub" No one saw the smug look that came on his face but they heard the pleased grunt he gave them.

"So what are we doing today then?" asked Eagle.

Snake and Wolf groaned. Ben was out doing the shopping and would be back soon so he wasn't here to be a sort of mediator for them.

"What is with you and having to do something everyday? Is it possible we could just have a normal day with no worries?"

Eagle pouted "But that's boring! It would be alright if we had some sort of entertainment here but we don't! In fact I bet we don't even have a game in this building!"

Alex who had been listening in on the conversation (becoming quite a habit isn't it?) also mentally agreed the apartment could do with…a bit more. At his old house he had loads of stuff like a play station and loads of board games, mainly because Jack loved finding new ones. Her favourite being the Never Mind the Buzz cocks, partly because it always ended in then laughing at all the weird intros and such, partly it also didn't work because it was just the two of them and you were meant to have teams. Alex decided to suggest it to the men as he was starting to now feel quite sad it was all gone since the fire.

"I know some good board games you could get"

"Please don't encourage him and do we really want to spend some money on board games?" said Snake.

"Yeah! Yeah!" Shouted Eagle before being manhandled by Wolf to have his face planted into the cushion.

"I know where you can get some cheap ones" Alex shrugged.

Wolf groaned. "I think if we don't we're never going to hear the end of from Eagle so…why not"

It was that moment Ben came walking in carrying in three shopping bags and looking at everyone who was getting up. "We're going shopping"

Ben looked deadpanned. "Alright then, what for?"

"Games and yes we are all going, you never know who's out there" Wolf said giving a quick glance to Alex who rolled his eyes.

"Ok then, just let me put the bags in the kitchen and quickly put the frozen food away"

Ten minutes later they were heading out in the car with Alex leading directions to the shopping centre as they never really bothered with going shopping there. They could get all there stuff from the local Sainsbury's and even there they could get clothes and such.

"You know its going to look like I'm bunking" Alex said randomly.

"…No one will ask" said Snake who couldn't think of an excuse.

Alex didn't comment and they made it to the shopping centre and they went to a game shop called 'Are You Game?' and although from the outside looked tacky was cheap yes, but they looked in good condition and had an amazing choice. In the end they said everyone could get one seeing as they didn't know when they'd come back and so Alex got the Never Mind the Buzzcock's game, Snake a Trivia Pursuit, Wolf, a chess set and Ben got Monopoly. Eagle, got the game headache. He insisted he got it because it looked fun but it sent everyone else into hysterics.

They were about to leave when Eagle walked past HMV and saw a Wii, never before had they had the chance to own one and every since he saw the advert when he game back was drawn to it.

Everyone noticed Eagle had stopped and looked at him.

Feebly he pointed to the picture of the Wii and looked back at them with puppy dog eyes. They knew what he was about to ask so Wolf marched right Eagle grabbed him arm and said a firm "No"

"Please"

"NO!"

Wolf tried dragging him but to no avail. Twenty minutes they were walking out with five board games and a Wii set that came with 3 games and two remotes. No one could quite recall how it happened but it did. It was a good thing they got good pay from the army and they'd been saving up.

The games started when they got home beginning with Mario cart and it was quite amusing to see Wolf really get into it and have extreme movements so if he turned right he ended up elbowing Snake beside him who was also playing. By the end they had a tournament and it was between Wolf and Alex, who also had a Wii back home…but they didn't need to know that.

So far Alex was winning with toad and Wolf was right behind him with Wario. It was the last lap, neck and neck, and suddenly Wolf paused it.

"Hey Cub, how "bout we make this interesting"

Alex looked at Wolf "What're you suggesting?"

Wolf thought about it "You're too young to gamble…aha" he smirked "Loser has to sing a song the other person chooses"

Alex raised an eyebrow "Alright then. Deal"

"Let's go then"

It was neck and neck until the bridge which was the final thing before the finish line. Alex was ahead of Wolf by a bit and Wolf got a red shell. With a cheer he set it off and was so focused on hitting Alex didn't notice everything. Alex got hit and with a curse fell off.

Wolf gave another cheer and then heard an explosion. He looked at the screen and saw his little Wario in the air from a bomb and Alex being set of the bridge, going forward…and winning.

Alex slumped back with a big grin. "So Wolf, how's your singing?"  
To give him some credit Wolf did do the song chosen for him the whole way through, it was just that he wasn't a born singer and the song choice really didn't help. It was priceless when Alex told him the song he was to sing. That song was 'Girls just wanna have fun'. It was an odd variation. Especially the high voice he tried to do sounded like a cat being run over by a car. Phones were out for this performance.

Dinner came after and Ben mentally remembered his plan on having lunch had been disrupted. Tomorrow he would defiantly make sure. Dinner was a simple spaghetti dish and after they skipped desert but set out some bowls of crips as they started on the board games. Wolf insisted chess first but that was vetoed immediately leaving him confused as to why and everyone else discussing what to play.

The trivia went first with questions Alex had no hope on but the others seemed to do well. Halfway through Alex gave up and decided to just look at the answers each time and maybe help people discreetly. Snake won his game closely followed by Ben.

They went through the games not bothering at looking at the time and the beer cans Ben had bought lessened and lessened. Finally they were at the last game which was Alex's and all the men were drunk with Alex being sober and able to remember this in the morning. They decided Ben Eagle and Alex would be on one team and Snake and Wolf on another.

Thankfully they all had seen the show at least once so knew what was going on. Wolf and Snake started first and it was an in the style of so Snake had to do Angels by Robbie Williams in the style of Aerosmith. Snake had no idea how to do this so just did the tune of Angels with occasional 'Nyaoinnnns' **[1] **like a guitar. Wolf got the song but had no idea of the style of but they all said they got the points.

Next was Eagle and and he had to do the into the living on a prayer and it ended up going something like this. 'Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun TING dun dun dun dun TING' The way he was doing sounded extremely fast with a really high Ting and it didn't sound like anything they'd heard. When they found out both Alex and Ben complained to Eagle how it sounded nothing like it.

By the end everyone except Alex was extremely drunk and singing 'We are the champions' not because anyone had one but because it had been one of the songs on the cards. Alex just sat there with his phone out on video setting. Video blackmail was always a handy thing to have.

**This chapter took so long because I didn't know what to write and last night I played games last night (never mind the buzzcocks last) and everyone was drunk except me and I was just having fun watching them. I went to bed at 3 thugh so I'm still tired T T. I think I've decided I'm going to update every Sunday as its easiest and now I have a question. **

**Do you want me to keep putting random things in about life with K-Unit OR get on with the story to the darker stuff and let it be finished sooner but I start working on a sequel. I have the beginning of a sequel :)**

**Anyway that's it and now for shout-outs (I realise the number I put last time was to much AFTER I'd posted -_-')**

_**rmiller- **_**I just knew I needed to have him do something :) **_**yamiyugi- **_**Well, there was some pink paint :D **_**Iamawsome – **_**Lucky T T **_**The First Gatekeeper – **_**They have come **_**K-UNITisHERE- **_**Thanks :) **_**eaglestriker- **_**here it is..a bit late **_**Dragon- **_**Why does everyone come out so much earlier T T **_**rose angel 428- **_**Thanks! And we start officially at 8:55. **_**i **_**Thanks and I made Alex happy! And I feel people need to know their comments are appreciated and that I DO read them. **_**FoxGlade –**_** Only 20 mins difference at least and thanks! **_**Izzy-I.R.T –**_** Yes they do and who better to do it than Tom! **_**loser94- **_**I didn't but I didn't mean to put that many lol and thanks! **_**waywarddaughter- **_**Thanks! I think they need people to understand what they're going through. **_**Bibliophile- **_**T T I'm trying **_**32-star- **_**Thanks! **_**Marzfrogdudette- **_**I've given him a break for now :)**

**And to everyone who said, Hope your year has started out well! And also a massive thank you to all you on alerts and such, I get at one or more at least every day :D. Until next Sunday (I will try hard!)**

**P.s I had 3 snow days this week!!! Who else has had some snow?! I love it!**

**[1] Didn't know what word to use so I made it up ^ ^**


	15. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: Me: Alex, do I own you yet?**

**Alex: No, you just imagine me talking to you.**

**Me: Hmph**

The next morning each man woke up feeling like crap, none of them in their beds. Wolf it seemed had stayed at the table with Snake, their faces plastered to the wood. Ben was on the sofa his head lolling of the side in such a way that for the day his neck would be aching. And Eagle, Eagle had somehow taken refuge behind the TV, just his legs sticking out.

Wolf was the first to open his eyes and with a loud groan lifted himself up from the table before flopping back into the back of his chair as his head pounded painfully. He took a look at his watch which took more effort than normal and his eyes widened. It was almost twelve, what time had they fallen asleep? In fact…what had they been doing last night?

Wolf tried to recall the past night but he could only remember vague bits, an after effect on all the beer they must have drunk. Wolf scanned the scene and there were beer bottles everywhere, so much it could be classified as a danger zone. He saw his team mates in their positions and decided if he was awake feeling extremely bad, so could they.

It took some time but soon all of the men were awake and holding their heads looking quite pale. They began to clear up when Alex walked in with a bright smile looking better than everyone else (on the inside).

He glanced at the men and still with a smile said "So how's everyone feeling?"

All of the men groaned at Alex except for Wolf who went with a growl and glared at his cheeriness.

"This is all your fault" Ben mumbled while picking up a bottle.

Alex sniffed looking slightly offended "Well it wasn't me who kept saying 'I don't wont to play' while rolling the dice"

The four men narrowed their eyes. Seeing as Alex hadn't drunk anything he didn't have a hangover and could remember everything they did that night without unlike then. Who knew what embarrassing things they did.

"What did you see?" Wolf asked.

Alex faked ignorance "Why whatever do you mean?"

"You know perfectly well what I mean"

Alex smiled again "I saw a lot of things, and I also learnt that sometimes the toughest of men aren't always that tough"  
Wolf raised an eyebrow.

"Does Sir William Cuddles ring a bell?"

Wolf literally had fire in his eyes. No one and he meant NO ONE knew he had a teddy bear. Now he had gone an blurted it out. Wolf pounded over and was about to pounce when Alex raised a hand.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you"

Alex took his phone out of his pocket and showed the screen for everyone to see. He pressed a button and the scene he had recorded the night before played to them. The watchers all flushed and before any of them could get their hands on the phone Alex pulled it back and put it into his pocket.

"You see men, I have some good blackmail here and if you think about doing anything, anything at all, well. I think Youtube would love to have it"

Alex calmly walked past the men, hand on his pocket and went into the kitchen leaving the shocked men behind.

They silently vowed never to get drunk in front of him again. There were now so many vows involving this kid.

K-Unit and Ben spent most of the day recovering and Alex, who'd taken pity on them, made them lunch and dinner. His phone never left his sight.

* * *

_Three Days later_

"Err sorry mate, change of plans. Can't go now"

"_Why not?"_

Wolf looked at Alex and thought of what to say. You see, him and the rest of them were supposed to be going out to the club with one of the other units who were on leave. They'd made the plans ages ago but because of Alex they couldn't go and leave him on his own.

"Something's happened and we just can't go out right now"

The phone went silent and he could understand Bull from F-Unit was thinking.

"What if we came to you then? We've made these plans for ages, come on"

Wolf sighed, he was right and it wasn't really fair, especially as Bull was Snake's cousin.

"Ok then, see you at five"

"Yeah…see you then"

Wolf put down the phone and told everyone what was going on.

"And, for tonight you will stay in your room and leave us men do what we want, you know, adult stuff"

Alex looked thoughtful "You know that could be misinterpreted as sounding quite wrong don't you?"

Eagle, Ben and Snake laughed while Wolf huffed. "Just stay in your room, take your dinner in with you and you can take the plates out when they're gone"

Alex shrugged "Fine then, need me too cook dinner?"

"No, we'll be having take-out and by we I mean everyone, not you"  
Alex frowned, like every other kid he loved take out be it Chinese or anything but if they didn't want him there that was ok. Yeah…ok….

"Alright, but you can't stop me from getting a drink or whatever"

"Take one of them big bottles of stuff or something"

"That would work if we actually had some of them"

"Just do that thing where you sneak without being noticed and one more thing. NO listening in, let the guys have some privacy"

"Is that all?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Yes"

"Right, well, I'm off to do some work"

"You do that"

Alex went to his room and planned his way of having a good evening. K-Unit were just such easy targets it was sad...but also way too much fun. Sure he may get some punishment…but it would be worth it, it always was.

* * *

_4.00pm_

Alex was looking in the fridge to see if they had the ingredients he needed for his dinner and was actually surprised to find that Ben had not left anything out.

In the end he had his own curry cooking along with some rice he'd coloured himself his own Bombay potatoes. He'd decided to go without poppadoms but he decided if he made it look appetizing enough he could make the others jealous. Though of course that wasn't the main reason he did it.

Outside Ben could smell the curry cooking and looked inside the kitchen through the window gap. "You can make curry as well!" he cried in shock at how much they could save with him.

Alex grinned while stirring the chicken into the curry mix. "Jack taught me, she always loved a curry on a Saturday night"

Alex's grin faded as it usually did when thinking off Jack and he turned away from Ben pretending to be looking at the spices.

Ben gave a sad look at Alex before deciding he might as well do something until F-Unit came. He was already dressed and everything.

Ben moved so he was inside the kitchen and Alex gave him an inquiring look. "Hey I was just wondering…could you tell me how you made this? It seems a bit unfair that you should do all the cooking and I never got the chance to learn how to…so why not start now?"

Alex tried to see some hidden meaning in this but he could find none. "Ok then"

For the next 40 minutes Alex carried on cooking his curry while telling Ben what he'd previously done and also what he was doing at that moment. Surprisingly Ben was a good learner and offered to help Alex with some of it.

It was peaceful just spending time with Ben rather than the rest of K-Unit and Alex found himself enjoying the company quite a lot. He was even a bit sad when they'd finished and it was time for him to go to his room.

"Thanks for that Alex, maybe you could teach me some other recipes and stuff some other time?"

Alex smiled "Yeah, that'd be cool"  
Ben watched as Alex took his plate and drink into his room and like Alex, enjoyed spending time with him. Once you got to know him better you could see what type of kid he really was. He was funny, which could be told by many things, he was smart even with all the time of school and he was brave. All of this among other things and it was then that something occurred to him.

He couldn't let him go back to MI6.

* * *

The door bell rang at exactly five and Snake went to open the door. As soon as he did he was bombarded by four men each carrying there own thing like crisps and cd's. Once they were all in Snake closed the door, his hair messier than it was before.

"Hi…"

The men started to make themselves comfortable and the burliest of the lot looked at Snake and asked "So cousin, how have you been?"

Snake smiled "Oh you know, same old same old, you?"  
Snake's cousin grinned and answered "Not much, except I proposed to Liz a few days ago and she decided at that point to tell me she was pregnant. All in all not much"

Snake laughed and clapped his cousin on the back while one of the other members of F-Unit asked "So why the change of plans then?"

"Things…just got a bit complicated" said Wolf.

"How so?"

"It doesn't matter, anyway, we gonna have a guys night or what?"

"Yeah we are!"

* * *

An hour later Alex had finished his dinner and was in the process of trying to read a book. Trying being a large factor as it was becoming increasingly hard to concentrate because of the music blaring through the walls. And to make it worse it wasn't even the good stuff.

Five minutes later Alex had had enough. Now not just music was coming through, it was the sound of eight loud mouth men cheering and shouting. It wasn't even a Friday or Saturday, why wasn't anyone from the neighbouring apartments complaining already and you would have thought that K-Unit and Ben would have learnt their lessons on long nights this morning. Obviously not.

Before Alex could get a full fledged headache he stormed out of his room grabbing his phone on the way (**think you know where I'm going with this ;)**) and charged into the lounge where he saw Eagle play fighting with some man with the six others being the ones cheering.

Alex slammed the door behind him to get their attention and it worked. Everyone looked at him and they could swear they could see a vain popping out of the teen's head.

"Could you PLEASE keep it down" Alex yelled over the music not bothering with pleasantries. "I am trying to read!"

"Hey guys, who's this?! Looks kinda like that kid from Breacon" a small brown headed man said.

"This is Alex and we specifically told him to stay in his room" said Wolf through gritted teeth.

"Well I would have if you lot weren't making so much bloody noise!"  
Two of the men from the other Unit laughed "He's got spunk" said one "So who's is he?"

The four original K-Unit spluttered "He's none of ours you idiot! Do you think any of us looks old enough?"

"He's just here on temporary basis" said Snake not noticing Ben nodding his head in agreement.

"Yes and so are you going to keep the noise down" interrupted Alex.

"Hey, we said we're going to have a guy's night without you coming in, we can do whatever we like. We're SAS; we're not going to take orders from some whiny teen"

"Really?"

Alex reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

"You wouldn't dare"

"Wouldn't I?"

Eagle being closest attempted to get forward but Alex pulled back "Not so fast" He clicked on the video's button.

"I'll ask one more time, you gonna keep the noise down?"

All of K-Unit and Ben looked at Alex knowing they could not let the others see that video, if word got back to Breacon…it wouldn't be good.

F-Unit on the other hand were all curious as to what was going on. What was everyone getting so worked up about and why were they taking care of a teen!

It was Ben who talked first "We'll…we'll keep the noise down, right?"

They were a bit hesitant but soon they nodded slowly.

Alex smiled and put his phone back in his pocket. "Good, now if you don't mind I'll be going back to my room, oh but first" Alex found the remote and turned the music down. Alex went to open the door and before he went through he turned his head to look at the man Eagle had been fighting with.

"Just for the record, Eagle's weak to a couple of good punches to the stomach"

The man grinned and said "Your not so bad kid, I like you"

Alex went back into his room and got back to his reading. Finally, a bit more peace. Gradually, Alex found himself falling asleep… and woke to the noise of a crash.

Alex went into spy mode and looked around his room. Eagle was laying face flat on his floor and Ben was hushing angry insults to him until he saw Alex was awake.

"Err, hi there Alex, didn't wake you did we?"

"No, I just felt I should wake at this particular time"

"…sorry, come on Eagle"

Ben and Eagle ran out and checked if anything was different. It was daytime meaning he'd slept in his chair the whole night but there was something else. His phone wasn't in his back pocket.

"Crap!"

Alex ran out and into the living room where he Eagle was holding his phone looking quite frustrated.

"Give me my phone back Eagle!"

Eagle yelped in surprise and almost dropped Alex's phone. "No!"

Eagle threw Alex's phone to Ben as Alex lunged and Ben started sorting through the files while Eagle kept Alex away.

Alex knew they were trying to erase the file and with a head butt on Eagle Alex jumped over and soon he and Ben were having an each pulling on Alex's phone.

"It's my phone!"  
"Just let me erase the video and I'll give it back"

This went on for a few minutes until the mobile flew out of both of there hand and crashed into the wall. Hard.

Alex dived for the phone and saw it was completely broken.

"You killed my mobile!"

Alex started shouting many angry threats and such to both men before Wolf charged in telling him to shut up.

"But they broke my mobile!"

"It can wait Cub, Puma just called" Alex immediately shut up.

"What does he want" asked Ben his mood darker.

"He says he wants to meet up with us today to apologise, he said to bring Cub so he could say sorry to his face. I couldn't detect and lying but you never know"

"Where does he want to meet?"

"He said at the paintball place near us, apparently he's paid for it all and it was a kind of way to make up for being such a jerk"

"Do you think we should go?" asked Eagle looking at his Unit leader.

"I think if we don't the sergeant will probably hear about it, he was the one who said we'd have to put up with him and by doing this we would be getting to know him"

"Well, if you think about it, gives you an excuse to shoot him"

Wolf pondered on the thought that was seeming o so satisfying. "You'd be ok with it?" he asked Alex.

"Hey, you guys would all be there, and I'm a big boy now" Alex finished with a grin.

Wolf smiled and shook his head "Even men need some cover sometimes but if your game then so am I, lets go get Snake and get ready, he said be there by eleven and its twenty past ten"  
Even though Alex seemed confident he couldn't get rid of the bad feeling that was residing in him.

* * *

"Looks like we're here"  
The four men and Alex got out of the car and looked at the paintball place that was called Extreme Paint Splat. There was a smallish building and behind there was a large forest that had a small fence around it.

"He should be inside"

They went in and there was Puma sitting on one of the seats situated in the room. It was smaller than Alex thought and there a wall that held the equipment and a desk with a scruffy man sitting there with bags around his eyes. It was no surprise it was empty as it was during school times on a Friday.

Puma looked up and gave a sheepish smile which gave Alex a shiver down his spine.

"Hi, listen I just wanted to say I'm sorry, especially to you Alex, didn't mean for you to go down like that"

"S'alright" Alex murmured.

"Listen Puma, just cos you've apologized and arranged all this doesn't mean we're going to forgive you immediately" said Wolf.

Puma sighed "I know that but I just hope you'll give this a chance"

"We will, so anyway, what are the teams?"

In the end it was Alex, Wolf and Ben against Puma, Snake and Eagle. Wolf had insisted he be leader of that team while Snake was leader of the other. The man by the till have all the normal rules like don't go over the fence and no physical violence and in only a short amount of time they were out in the forest. The teams split up and prepared tactics.

Wolf decided that he and Ben would go on the ground while Alex went in the trees for most of it which worked as most of the trees were close together and he could switch branches easily. This also came with the warning to make sure he didn't hurt his injuries.

They got into position and the horn went for the fun to begin and it wasn't long before the sound of surprised yelps could be heard and laughs. Alex stayed in his tree until someone came along and soon he heard a rustle and Puma come through the trees. It made Alex smile to see he was already covered in a few spots of pink paint, the colour being chosen by Wolf because it was quite a bright colour and quite a humiliating one.

Alex aimed his gun at Puma and once he was in good range he shot it hitting Puma square in the chest, his SCORPIA training coming in handy. Puma looked up but before he could see Alex the teen silently moved trees. Regardless Puma shot at the tree and Alex could see the yellow mess hit the brown bark.

Alex aimed again and got another hit, this time on Puma's head. The pink splashed on his bald head giving his head a new makeover and Alex couldn't help the laugh escape his lips which meant he had to move before Puma got him. He zoomed through the trees (well as fast as anyone could go, he wasn't a ninja) hearing the increasing sound of splats behind him. Puma could go faster as he was on ground and because Alex was trying to go fast his movements made much more noise.

Once Alex was sure he couldn't go any further as he was getting tired of switching branches and occasionally almost slipping. He thought he'd lost Puma when he heard another shot and continued to move a bit further until he was by the edge of the forest. How had he managed to get there? He was sure he hadn't been moving in a straight line. In any case he was there and he heard Puma call him.

"I know its you Alex, you might as well come down, I think its almost time to go back anyway, that was quite a good work-out wouldn't you say"

Alex thought about it he supposed he might be right though he wasn't sure how much time he'd spent trying to run. He climbed down and saw Puma smiling cheerfully.

"We going back then?" Alex moved to go past him to go back to the front when Puma held out an arm.

"Oh actually there's one more thing I wanted to do before we left"

Still smiling, Puma reached under his gear and pulled out something that made Alex's heart run cold.

It was a gun.

**Mwahahaha evil cliffy here me thinks. Anyway sorry its so late but I spent quite a while thinking how to go with this and I wanted to make the story go somewhere in the end so I made this. Also I've been ill which gave me more time to write. **

**There is not going to be anymore randomness from now on and its coming close to the end but I wont say how far cos even I'm not sure. I don't think they'll be more than twenty chaps, I'll say that. **

**Anyway thanks guys who are on alerts and taken time to give me a review which is largely appreciated. Shout-outs now. **

_**Turn-On-The-Stars – **_**I didn't do it last chap so I'll do it now, I hope you liked the pranks and lol :) **_**32star- **_**It took longer than expected but thanks! **_**Krhorsejumper97- **_**That's good: D **_**K-UNITisHERE- **_**Thanks! Sorry it took so long. **_**Xx Kiamii xX- **_**Ok and thanks **_**^ ^ marisje – **_**Well I didn't really show it to anyone this time but it did create a broken mobile **_**i- **_**Sorry I didn't update Sunday!! And the video did create some problems, in a different way. And thanks so much! ^ ^ **_**UnfortunatelyMortal- **_**It was meant to be kind of a filler, and I guess that much snow can be a pain. And dw I'm not offended, thanks! **_**abcdefg – **_**Action will be coming mainly next chapter but thanks! **_** EriKaBalDeL- **_** Thanks! :D **_**rose angel 428 – **_**Lol ^ ^ we had a five day weekend thanks to the snow and thanks so much!! **_**Abbi – **_**Last bit of randomness for this story I think, well big chapter of randomness. **_**crzyaznbrother- **_**Real story is coming in full now **

**So again thanks to everyone who reviews, always makes my day and also does everyone else favouriting ( is a word) and such. **

**p.s not promising when to update as I probably wont stick to it!**


	16. Chapter 15

**Me: Wolf, do I own you and K-unit and Alex**

**Wolf: Yes**

**Me: REALLY!**

**Wolf: Ha, no. **

_Still smiling, Puma reached under his gear and pulled out something that made Alex's heart run cold. _

_It was a gun._

Alex looked from the gun too Puma who was now grinning like an idiot.

"You don't realise how much I've wanted to do this since I saw you"

Through the fear Alex felt knowing he could be shot at any moment he spoke with his fear only betraying it slightly. "You work for them, don't you"

Puma just nodded and lifted the gun slightly higher.

Alex glanced down at his gear and noticed it wouldn't be able to lessen any of the impact given if the bullet struck and knew his options were to run and hope to get back to k-unit or fight and then run to or call K-Unit once the gun way away from his chest. He decided he had a better chance with the latter.

Alex waited a few more seconds portraying that he had frozen with fear which Puma seemed to think as he took a step closer. It only took another for Alex to be close enough to lash at him with a high kick to the arm and a punch to the head which Puma caught with his abnormally large hands.

"Not so fast spy boy"

Puma used his other hand to grab Alex's arm and threw him into a tree which Alex managed not to get his face in by reaching out his hands just in time. This didn't come without a sprained wrist though and Alex hissed. Now would be a good chance to shout he thought.

"Ben, Wolf! Puma he…woaah" Alex was cut off when was jerked of the tree by the back of his gear and he almost fell backwards if it not for his strong desire to stay upright.

Thinking K-Unit and Ben had to have heard him he knew all he had to do was fight a bit longer until they found him and that meant keeping Puma away from the gun. He quickly located the small killing device and noticed Puma had too. Now it was a battle of who got there first.

As they both ran for it Alex didn't hear Puma talk into a small chip planted near his shoulder blade. They reached for the gun at the same time and Alex being nimbler got past Puma and grabbed the gun and did a side roll moving out of the way.

Alex stood up and narrowly missed a lunge to his back by dodging to move behind a tree. As Puma moved past him stumbling slightly Alex went for another kick on his back to plant him on the ground. Puma growled, this was not going right at all; he should have just shot the kid when he'd had the chance. Time to finish it quickly he thought as he heard a car coming and he knew it was for him.

Puma got up and spun towards Alex who was attempting to climb a tree with one hand not trusting putting it in his mouth (partly as it was too big…) and didn't wait for anything to happen. He grabbed the teen once more and just yanked the gun out of Alex's sprained hand which made him yell in pain and kept Alex still by point the gun on his chest.

"Night spy boy"

Puma shot the gun.

* * *

Ben had just been about to shoot Wolf when they heard it. Alex was calling them and it sounded like Puma was the cause. Ben came out from behind a tree and looked at Wolf briefly before they started running towards the sound of Alex's voice. Not too long into the run they met up with Snake and Eagle who also heard Alex call.

Further into the sprint they had a harder time finding Alex as he wasn't calling anymore and they couldn't hear anything which worried them deeply but how big could the forest be, they must be there soon.

Thankfully after five seemingly long minutes they heard some noises that sounded like a struggle. They approached the figures just in time too see Puma shoot Alex and then look up with shock at seeing the four men there.

Puma instantly threw Alex over his shoulder and leapt over the fence K-Unit and Ben hot on his heels.

Puma looked over his shoulder (the one Alex wasn't on) and called out "Back Up!"

A van pulled out into view and as it slowed three men jumped out of the back all carrying guns. K-Unit (**AN – cos I can't be bothered to keep writing and Ben, when I say K-Unit, Ben is included) **slowed slightly at the sight of the guns but sped up again once the moment had passed.

Seeing he would be fine now he stopped and turned around to face K-Unit.

K-Unit carried on running until Puma said "Stand down men"

They halted as they saw the dangerous glint of a knife near Puma's hand. The men who had come out the van stereotypically wearing black suits and sunglasses filed around Puma each pointing a gun at K-Unit whose breathing was heavy due to the anger they were feeling.

"I knew you were a traitor from the moment you hurt Cub"

Puma scoffed. "But you hardly did anything did you, so technically, it could be considered your fault for believing me. I must say you guys fell for it bad. 'I just hope you'll give this a chance'" Puma mimicked himself grinning.

"Give back Cub!" Eagle shouted stomping his foot to emphisise his words.

Puma titled his head to the side. "And why would I do that, I've gone through a lot to get to this brat. I had to join your stupid SAS and I took a load of risks and all of it as a back up plan. So no, I don't think I'll be 'giving back Cub'"

Snake looked not at Puma but at Alex, he'd seen he'd been shot and he didn't know what with, it might have been a simple tranquilizer but it could also be more. He scanned what he could see and gave a small jolt when he saw blood trickling down from his right shoulder.

"What is it?" Ben asked under his breathe, his eyes not leaving the ones with guns.

"Alex, he's injured, I think it's from the tranquilizer/bullet, whatever it was. See his right shoulder"

Ben looked and tensed, he was finding it really hard to stay still, in fact, he couldn't. He charged forward to Puma whose smile had turned into a look of surprise and brought back his fist.

"Just fire and take them with us now!" yelled Puma who was trying to dodge Ben's fist but was finding it hard because of the extra weight.

The three men obeyed their commander and shots were flown. They could tell they were tranquilizer guns designed to look like real guns when the first dart flied. K-Unit dodged the flying darts for a while (Ben was also trying to hit…kill Puma) but it wasn't long before Eagle gave a cry of pain and fell over, a dart in his leg. As they found Eagle Snake and Wolf both got hit in the back which left Ben surrounded with no chance. He kept going though and managed to punch Puma right in the jaw before a dart hit his arm. All the men were down.

"Take them with us; we don't want them going to their precious MI6"

The five bodies were put into the van and driven off to who knows where.

* * *

Where was he? Alex slowly opened his eyes and immediately shut them. He was in that room again, the room he'd hoped he'd never have to go in again. Dead bodies littered the floor, the bodies of those tortured before him and preserved in such a way they could be kept, to show those unfortunate to see them, the horrors they were capable off. It was one of the special rooms that was designed to break a person's spirit but he'd ended up here first last time. It was all repeating itself.

Alex kept he's eyes firmly shut and shifted a bit when he touched something cold that made him instantly jump and try to move in a better position. His eyes watered from the smell that lingered and he tried to pull his top over his nose when he realised it wasn't there. His top had disappeared but thankfully his trousers were still there but his shoes and socks were missing as well.

He started feeling extremely sick and after a few more gulps of the putrid air could not stop the bile coming up and he was sick on the ground and maybe on a body, he still hadn't opened his eyes. Once he'd stopped Alex took a few shuddering breathes and leant back into the cold steal wall of the room.

What happened to K-Unit, did they realise Puma had taken him? Well, they must have but how would they find him like last time. Would he be subjected to what happened last time because he honestly didn't think he could cope.

He rubbed his shoulder absently which brought him back to look at where he'd been shot with what he had realised was a dart instead of a bullet. Trying to keep his eyes away from his surroundings at all time he looked at his shoulder and he could see a small pin prick. Alex supposed there was one good thing; he wasn't feeling as groggy as he could have.

For what felt like an eternity later, just as he was starting to get hungry and his voice beginning to get scratchy from lack of water the door opened. Alex kept his head down and faked the pretence of being asleep to see if it fooled who ever came in.

It didn't.

Alex was lifted up roughly by his arm and his shoulder felt a bit of pain. On the way up Alex's wrist which was still injured hit the wall with a bang and he gave a small yelp.

The man holding him laughed and Alex would have frozen if not for the man dragging him. He recognised that laugh, he would know it anywhere.

Looking up confirmed it. It was the person who had tortured him for the man days in his stay in hell but had never learnt his name. The man noticed the recognition form in Alex's eyes and pulled his head close and whispered "miss me?"

Alex didn't speak and he was carried on being dragged through various corridors that all looked the same with no windows for outside light. It was defiantly a different location than before but held all it had before.

Twelve linking corridors later they were there. A steel door that gave off the same smell as the corpse's lead into the room that Alex feared just as much. Inside was various equipment that was used for interrogation or just in his torturer's words, 'fun'.

"In we go" The door opened and Alex was thrown inside and behind him he heard the lock click. By his hair this time he was put into the chair he had been put in many times before.

"So Alex, how have you been" he asked casually as he restrained Alex in the chair.

Alex refused to answer, when he'd been cocky before it had earned him extreme amounts of pain, this time he figured it was better to keep his mouth shut just as it was better to try not and escape as the restraints would electrocute him if he struggled too much.

"Lost your voice a bit? Well let's just see if I can make it work"

The man turned to a table beside him that held various weapons and devices. "What too choose….aha, how about a new one that was just made two days ago, must have known you'd be coming back"

Alex craned his neck to the left to see what it was and all he could see was a small metal arch that looked like it could lean around a person's neck. He relaxed his head back breathing hard; the worst part was always waiting.

The man, Alex decided to dub him X so he could have a name, went back to face Alex and roughly put the contraption on his neck and pressed a button. X took a few steps back and waited.

**(Gets a bit graphic here, don't like…perhaps you should just skip till you see the sign)**

At first nothing happened and then suddenly he felt pinpricks where the device was which made him flinch. X saw the slight movement and smiled, it worked.

It was only uncomfortable to begin with but slowly Alex felt the needles go deeper and deeper into his flesh and then properly inside him. The fact it was so slow made it all the more painful and occasionally they would give a jolt that was like a quick stab into his back and shoulders.

At first Alex bit his lip and bore it but 10 minutes later he couldn't stop the cries of pain that were escaping his lip as the pushed in. He could feel the blood dripping down his back and he once tried struggling forgetting the shock that accompanied him with it.

Once the needles reached his shoulder bone they pierced it slightly but other than that they stopped and Alex leant forward panting. The first one was always the worst, he told himself but he wasn't sure if he could believe it.

X came back over and touched the metal device. "How was that?" He pulled it out and Alex screamed in pain as the thousands of needles were removed.

"And you should know Alex, this is only the beginning…"

For the next half hour Alex was subjected to being whipped on his front, just missing his bullet wound each time but hitting the healing (well, not so much now) burn marks. X had seen Alex had sprained his hand and took pleasure in moving it around. The last thing before it ended was X having his own fun and beating Alex everywhere. By the end Alex could barely keep conscious from the beating to his head.

**(Should be good now)**

X un-strapped Alex and heaved the spy off the chair. As he half dragged Alex across to a cell and just as he was opening the door he mumbled quietly "And this is when we don't have anything to ask you"

Alex was thrown inside and he fell on the floor not bothering to get up. Alex slipped into unconsciousness, just hearing the sounds of worried voices.

* * *

K-Unit had seen it all. On the top of one of the walls in their cell there was a small television screen, too high to reach but close enough to see what was on it clearly. It had been two hours when it switched on and all they could see was a chair. Suddenly someone came into view, stumbling in before being bound in the chair by another person. Once the man moved out the way they could identify who was in the chair and it was Cub.

They had all woken up around the same time, not feeling to bad but confused. They didn't know where Cub was and they werent sure where they were. They spent the two hours trying to come up with an escape plan but with no map of the place or any sights of it it was proved to be an extremaly difficult task. They stopped when they heard the beep from above them.

Feeling sick they watched as Cub was tortured and Ben at one point shouted and banged on the wall. It did no good and soon he sat back down his back facing the screen. He seemed to be taking it harder than the others.

When they weren't sure if they could take any more, let alone Cub the man stopped and looked like he was about to un-strap Cub the screen went black. They didn't know whether to feel relieved or even more worried.

Ten minutes later they heard the muffle of a voice and the slid of the door opening. Cub was thrown inside and the door shut. They let out a cry of worry as he landed on the floor not moving.

Snake went forward immediately knowing the boy needed medical attention as soon as possible. He was unconscious and blood was flowing from the wounds he'd got freely and Alex could suffer blood loss if it wasn't covered by at least something but there was nothing in the cell.

Wolf noticed Snake was looking flustered and moved up to him and asked "What's wrong"

"I need something to stop the blood flow but there's nothing….unless, we could use a piece of clothing"

Unlike Cub, K-Unit had managed to keep all their clothes but their gear and any other belongings were gone. Wolf and Eagle were about to offer their clothes but Ben had already got his off and just left him with a white vest.

Snake nodded gratefully and tore strips in the fabric and used them as makeshift bandages. Other than various bruises, there was a particular nasty looking one that ran from his knee to ankle (a big kick) he was as in best a shape Snake could make him. He allowed Alex to rest his head on his knee and turned back to the rest of K-Unit.

"We really need to get out of here" Eagle stated.

"Noooo, really?" said Wolf sarcastically, he was feeling extremely pissed at the moment.

An argument would have broken out surely if it weren't for a small groan coming from Snakes knee.

Alex's eyes flickered open and he shut them tight before opening them once more for good. He tried leaning his head up but he moaned and it flopped back down. Alex took a few more tight blinks trying to clear his head as the others watched before he asked weakly "Where am I?"

Snake, being above him, answered. "Your in a cell, we were kind of hoping you'd fill in the rest for us"

Alex looked thoughtful and then his eyes widened "Wait, you guys are here, how…why…" Alex was starting to get confused and Ben bit his lip. He obviously thought they hadn't been captured and would come and rescue him again. It was a sad sight to see.

"We heard you calling and when we got to you Puma had just hit you with the dart. We tried fighting…but they had tranquilizers" Ben finished quite pathetically.

Alex gave a depressed sigh. That left the question did MI6 even know they were missing. Did they have people following them, watching them? Somehow he doubted it.

"Cub, who are these people"

Alex didn't hesitate, after all, it was his fault they were here with him. They deserved to know who was behind this "They're SCORPIA. The ones Ash worked for, the ones I had a mission with and…the ones who shot me"

Wolf gave a dejected gasp "And how did you make enemies with these guys"

"Bit of a long story, I'd rather not speak about it"

No one felt like pressuring Alex in his state and as he tried to get up Snake pushed him down again. In the position he was in his back wounds were slightly elevated and his whip wounds on the front weren't damaged. Alex gave up and looked up at the ceiling.

"What's going to happen?" he asked.

K-Unit looked at each other grimly and Ben said "We don't know Alex…we don't know. But I can promise you this. We are all going to get out alive, I know we are and no one and I mean no one will be left behind. We'll get through this…yeah"

**I wasn't sure where to end this but this felt right. I hope this chapter was alright. I should say now I have left a note for everyone who reviewed my one shots on my profile so have a look. P.S This would have been up on Friday but it wouldn't let me upload so sorry if my notes to you seem a bit off. **

**Shout-outs – _32-star – _Thanks ^ ^ _ImPaLeD_- They all know to be careful, and I hope there was enough action! _yamiyugi- _I've left the character death to my one-shot but they didn't really save him… _IcePrincess89023_- That I am ;) _i – _I've made it in a week this time! And thanks :) _rose angel 428- _I just love being evil ;) and thanks! _krhorsejumper97- _Ha-ha, yes you have ! Here is your update and thanks! _Sarcasm- the Lowest Form of Wit – _I tried fitting writing in whenever I could! _baldy911- _I feel hurt you would think I wouldn't continue! ;) not really I know others don't which annoys me but I try not to _MADDIEdimkaDUCKY- Here it is, thanks for reviewing! Master of Minds- _Mmhmm correct _Abbi – _Lol ;) and I tried _loser94 – _Thanks! :D _Little Miss Lestranged- _*Hides* Was this quick enough?? ;) *Exits out doot silently* **

**So a BIG thank you to everyone reading and alerting and especially reviewing, maybe you want to read my one-shots if you haven't? Yes I am advertising ;) Until next time! (I know its short but actually it only because of long paragraphs)**


	17. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer- Me: Hey Eagle, wanna do it? **

**Eagle: *bouncing up and down* yeh!! TwilightOasis does not own me or anyone of the Alex Rider franchise. Hey…maybe they should make a Derek Young franchise, wow!**

**Me: No Eagle**

"Alan, we have a problem"

Alan Blunt looked up from his desk and at Mrs Jones who seemed slightly anxious.

"What is it; I really must get these reports done"

"Well…Agent Rider and Daniels have gone missing along with the other members of K-Unit. They were last seen at a place called Extreme Paint Splat we think SCORPIA have captured them"

Blunt's mouth tightened as if he was sucking a lemon. "Why was no one watching them?"

"…We're not sure right now. We think we have some spies in the organisation"

Blunt let out a small growl "Well find out who they are and make sure Agent Rider is recovered as soon as possible. We can't afford to lose him…and the others too"

"Right away" Jones nodded and left.

* * *

Alex had a restless sleep as he had the capture before but this time it wasn't so bad. Maybe it was his own subconscious reminding him he wasn't alone, or maybe it was the comforting gestures the man still awake were giving him as his faced screwed up in pain.

Three hours later Alex awoke once more, the stinging sensation remaining in his body but he could deal with it. He'd insisted he get up off Snake's leg and Snake grudgingly obliged when he realised Alex wasn't one to enjoy being fussed over…well maybe he knew that already.

Alex sat by the wall his back hunched slightly so not to let the wounds touch the wall or the wounds on his front to open. He noticed every so often that one of K-Unit would glace at his with worried expressions and after Wolf did it making it at least the sixteenth time he couldn't take it anymore.

"Will you guys just stop looking at me?!"

Ben sighed "Sorry Alex but in your current state we can't help but be worried. And we also don't know when those guys or _that_ person will be back and what they will do. Just let us do some fussing ok?"

Alex stayed silent and Ben guessed that meant ok.

At some point (time was irrelevant in this place) a slit opened at the bottom of the door, too small for anyone except maybe a baby to fit through, a plate of food was pushed in and a jug.

On the plate were a banana which seemed a bit too brown, some scraps of various meats and two slices of bread which had blue dots speckled in it. Wolf went forward too it and looked at Snake.

"Safe too eat?"

Snake frowned at the food but nodded his head "It just won taste good but just don't eat the blue bits of the bread and maybe cut some of the brown off the banana. The meat should be fine though maybe don't eat the fat that has been left on some of it"

"Alright" Wolf went about splitting the food and Alex almost didn't notice he had been given a slightly bigger portion than everyone else but after what Ben said he decided not to say anything.

The food didn't taste great of course but it left them feeling less hungry than before and they shared the water around as they ate. Snake insisted in using some of the water to clean Alex's wounds and no one objected, they didn't want an infection to get in there.

Afterwards they all chose to get some sleep with at least one person staying awake at all times. Eagle went first and it wasn't long before he accidentally slipped off too.

When they all woke up they were one short.

But it wasn't Alex.

"Where's Fox!?" cried Wolf angrily.

Eyes fell on Eagle who paled and looked sheepish. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry! I couldn't help it…I was tired…and…"

Wolf sighed "It doesn't really change anything, the only thing that might have happened was a fight and that would have ended badly"

Snake bit his lip and he glanced at Alex who had also paled a shade or two. He shuffled towards him. "You alright?"

Alex just shrugged and winced when he felt his wounds stretch. Truth was he felt awful. He'd sort of expected they would take one of the others but part of him was keeping the hope that they wouldn't bother. It was his entire fault as well, they only wanted him but they got caught up in it. If anything of them got hurt, or even died, how would he be able to live with himself, but then again that was what being a spy was about, death and getting a mission done. It's all it's ever about.

"Why'd they take him though" Eagle wondered aloud.

"Isn't it obvious?" Alex finally spoke but with a hard edge to his voice. Eagle gave him a questioning look and Alex shook his head at how clueless he was. "He's the only one other than me who works for MI6, who knows the system and well _almost _everything there is too know about it"

What Alex said made sense and everyone grew more worried as time passed but for all they know it could have only been 10 minutes in what felt like an hour. As there mouths began to get dry again and Ben still wasn't back Wolf growled.

"I can't take this. There going to just pick us up one by one and do what they want with us until one or all of us dies. When Ben comes we are to do whatever we can to get out of here. Its better to die fighting and knowing you tried than rather waiting for it in more pain"

Everyone nodded and they didn't really plan, it was a hit, fight, get out and help Ben if he needs it. They would also watch Alex's back as he was the one who needed the most protection from them, he was who they really wanted.

More time passed and Snake began an irritating tap with his fingers on the floor, Wolf started pacing and Eagle just stuck to breathing really loudly. The atmosphere was becoming very tense and Alex almost wished anyone would come, even without Ben just to know that something was going on outside that door.

That was when his prayers were answered. A rustle was heard outside and the door slid open but with two burly men standing in front blocking it.

Wolf looked at them all in silent command and blinked once, twice, three times. Then they charged.

Wolf went first with Eagle and Snake following and Alex bringing up the rear. The two men obviously weren't expecting the attack and that meant K-Unit were able to get into the offensive and leave the others in defence. Snake was lucky and kicked the man on the shin and he fell to floor but Alex…he was extra lucky. As the other man came up to him he managed to kick him…let's just say where the sun don't shine…and _hard. _It may have caused him a bit of pain but probably nothing compared to the crumpled man groaning on the floor.

Eagle made sure the man Snake had kicked was knocked out while Wolf did the same with Alex's. Alex couldn't help but be amazed that it worked and how careless the unconscious men were, he was sure the others felt the same but there was no time to waste, they needed to find Ben.

"Which way did they take you here?" asked Wolf to Alex.

"Erm…that way" Alex pointed to the right and Wolf went of in the lead with him and the others forming a sort of triangle around Alex. They all realised how stiff their joints were already and as they paced forward tried to loosen them and at one point Eagle accidentally hit Wolf and the glare Eagle got was enough to make a young child cry. Eagle decided he was fine after that.

They didn't come to any doors until their fourth corridor and Alex couldn't remember each corridor he went down as they were so similar so they'd probably made one or two wrong turnings. A loud bang made them jump and their eyes skittered around.

"Came from over there" Alex muttered inclining his head to the left; he did not trust his voice to go any louder. They all knew what that bang sounded like, it sounded like a gun shot.

They practically ran (trying to keep silent a run is a bit hard) to the source of the noise and stopped outside a door, there was no where else it could have come from. They stopped outside the door and looked at it warily.

"We go in together" said Snake not wanting anyone to meet the fate of what might be inside alone.

Wolf opened the door slightly and looked inside. "Pitch black, maybe no one's there"

"Or maybe it's where they're holding Ben" suggested Alex.

Wolf opened the door further and they slithered inside adjusting their eyes to the area. They looked around and in the corner there was a small light and a foot could just be seen which looked like it was wearing Ben's shoe.

"Ben?!" whispered Eagle excitedly. He, ignoring the silent protests of others, scurried towards the leg and stopped in front of it and crouched.

That was when an array of things happened at once. The door slammed shut, Eagle was caught by the arm by 'Ben', the light was switched on and Wolf, Snake and Alex were caught by some others. It had all been a trap.

Now that the light was on the room was revealed and it was actually quite large. In the centre there was a desk with a turned around care, guards and such were plastered around the edge and on the left side facing the desk was a chair and sitting bound and gagged was none other than Ben. He looked a bit battered but other than that physically fine.

Ben turned his head to see his comrades held with arms behind their back with deer eyes. He'd heard that they'd got out but he'd really hoped they wouldn't fall for the trick.

The rest of K-Unit looked a bit too shocked to do or say anything as they were led towards four other chairs and bound on them. Part of them was happy to see Ben but another part was scared of what was going to happen they were caught after trying to escape.

"I applaud you on your effort" a voice spoke from the turned chair.

K-Unit looked at each other with wide eyes. That voice…

The chair turned and there sat was Kirill Gregorovitch.

"You're alive" Alex gasped out.

"Observant as ever I see" Kirill said with an amused smile.

"But, but we saw you die!! You weren't breathing!" exclaimed Snake shocked at how a man who was supposed to have died could be sitting in front of them.

"Ah, that is a clever trick of mine. I'm sure you've seen by previous men that they suddenly just died…"

"So that guy from the hospital is alive!" shouted Eagle.

Kirill frowned "Don't interrupt" he looked at one of the guard by the wall and they came over and hit Eagle on the head making him groan and shut his mouth.

"No he is not alive, but he was just the prototype, a guinea pig. We injected him with a device that with the push of a button would let out a lethal poison that would kill the person immediately. It was effective in the way our secrets would not be revealed but a nuisance in the fact that we just lost an agent, an ineffective one yes, but an agent all the same"

"That is why I got my scientists to devise a different type of device, one that would send the person in a sort of comatose state where they would seem dead. They managed to do it and I was injected yet there were still many things that could go wrong when I had to use it when being defeated. One, you may have decided to take my body in which you would have noticed I'd started breathing. Two, the may have been a malfunction and too much might have been put into my blood stream meaning I would have died for sure. But my workers did not fail me and here I am"

Alex thought about it. "Wait, you kept saying 'my scientists' and 'my workers'. What do you mean?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"You don't mean you're the leader! How is that possible, I thought you'd only had two assignments?"

Kirill shrugged. "I lied"

"Care to explain?" Alex asked grimly.

"Well, most of what I said was true. The only part I lied about really was how many assignments I'd done. My first one was actually to kill the leader who had come after Julia Rothman. They weren't happy with him and so ordered me to kill him. My reward would be to take his place. I did so and became leader. It was not that hard. A little compliment and a drink of wine was all it took"

"So, what is your plan?"

"Plan?" asked Kirill.

"You know, the world domination plan every criminal seems to have"

"Hmmm, well I haven't really got one at the moment"

"You haven't?" asked Alex genuinely surprised.

"Well, my first was to eliminate you. Did you know, since you started being a spy the rise of criminal organisations has gone down by 10%? Many people have heard of you and would prefer to do minor things that those 'world domination' schemes you seem to stop"

Alex couldn't help feeling smug and gave a wry smile.

"Anyway" carried on Kirill ignoring Alex "Once I had captured you I was determined to make you suffer as I had been told you had been the one to kill Yassen. Then when you got away I was determined to get you back but as I did so a source got me some records from Yassen revealing his thoughts and such as he went of missions. There was a lot about your father in their and nearer the end a lot about you. It said how he saw your father in you and also how he knew he would die for you. Then I also found out what really happened on Air Force 1, how he fulfilled his words and died for you"

"It made me think, would he want me to kill you but I also have SCORPIA's best interests to keep a hold of. I do not want to befall the same fate as my predecessor and leaving you alone so you could stop us would not bode well with anyone. So I decided it was time for my spies to get to work"

"Puma"

"Yes and others in MI6 that have returned. Puma was placed into the SAS just as I became leader. I had him wait until I thought I would need him, if I ever did. He was the best man as I know he had a friend in their so all he needed to do was ask him and prove himself and he was in. I had him wait and he was severely punished when he almost got himself booted out of your Unit. I told him he had one last chance and he did not disappoint, other than the fact he also had to capture the other members. But as I was doing this I thought about things and now I have decided to make you an offer Alex I know you have declined before but I would like to give you again. Yassen would want me too"

Alex sighed. He knew what was going to happen.

"Alex, will you rejoin SCORPIA as my protégé? Think about it, once you have become accustomed to us we will grow as we merge with other organisations and soon we shall be bigger and better than MI6 and you will be able to get revenge for all they have done to you. Revenge on all the times you have helped them and all you get is a place in a hospital and only blackmail to do it again. Here you would get paid money, so much money and you wouldn't even have to do that many missions, just be the brain and tactician behind it. You are a clever boy Alex. You won't even have to go back to Malagosto and if you accept we will kill your little friends here in the most painless way. What do you say?"

Alex didn't even hesitate. "No"

"Are you sure Alex?"

"Positive, I never want to join you again. Sure MI6 treat me bad but at least I know I'm helping the world, not destroying it like you"

Kirill gave a sad sigh "I was hoping you would choose otherwise but if that is your final answer, well I might as well get some entertainment out of your last moments. Come in Hiro"

A door behind Kirill opened and a Chinese man stepped through. He was well built with short spiky black hair and a face that could compete with Alan Blunt. You could tell he was Japanese and he walked inside his left leg limping slightly.

"Hiro is a master of the sword. He knows many tricks and you Alex, are going to fight him. A nice sword fight to the death"

"What! But he's injured, how to you expect him to fight!" shouted Wolf.

"Quiet" Kirill glared at Wolf.

A guard came up behind Wolf and hovered there.

"The deal is Alex, if you win, I will kill you painlessly along with your friends. If you lose, well… you'll be dead and your friends will be given to our more curious scientists. Understand?"

Alex knew he had no real choice but he knew he had to fight so to give MI6 more of a chance of finding them and give them the hope of maybe escaping. Even if none of that happened he needed to make sure they didn't suffer anymore.

"I have your word that if I win they will be killed painlessly?"

Kirill nodded. "You have my word"  
"Ok"

"Kirill looked at his guards "Take them back to their cell" He looked at Alex "You have two hours while we prepare so use it wisely"

K-Unit and Alex were led back to their cell and they were unbound and the gag was taken off Ben. They were thrown inside and the door shut.

"He can't do this" Ben immediately said.

"Hey Ben, you alright? What did they do?"

Ben grimaced. "Not much, just a bit of interrogation really cept they didn't believe that I really didn't know anything. Convinced I was lying but they just stuck to physical violence, no weapons or anything"

"Sorry"

Ben looked at Alex in shock "Alex, this isn't your fault!"

Alex looked down "Sure it is, anyone close to me always ends up hurt or dead. At least when this is over it will stop happening"

"No Alex, this is not your fault, we are the ones meant to be protecting you and so far we're doing a crappy job. Don't worry MI6 will come, they've got to, they can't just leave us to die here. Blunt isn't that heartless"

Alex snorted "Of course he isn't"

"Well Jones won't I'm sure. I think she has a soft spot for you"

"A soft spot isn't going to make her have power over Blunt. Just face it, there not going to come, they haven't before. They wont now"  
"Come on guys, let's have some fun. If it is our last moments together we might as well make it nice" said Eagle with a small smile.

"Eagle's right for once, let's not focus on the bad. Let's just enjoy ourselves" agreed Snake.

For the next two hours K-Unit and Alex played silly games eye spy which created a lot of humour trying to think of a new thing each time other than brick or grey. They had a lot of fun and they all almost forgot the situation. Of course it never completely left their minds but the fun they were having could cover it.

It couldn't last though. Two hours had gone by and then the door opened revealing five guards.

"It's time"

**Sooo, yeh I'm not going to say sorry for the late update. I've been busy preparing for loads of tests this past two weeks. Thank god for half term. This chapter was a sort of filler seeing as it didn't have that much action but I hope it was good enough. **

**About 2 chapters left (sob!) and I actually haven't got much planned for a sequel yet, got the beginning and that's about it. Ideas would be welcome. **

**If your wondering why K-Unit have asked about the before thing, well let them enjoy themselves. Who knows what happens next (other than me!) **

**So anyway, until my next chapter if you haven't already read some of my one-shots or my new series of one-shots 'Dares always come with consequences'. Anyway, shout outs now. **

_**32-star – **_**Thanks! ^-^ **_**marisje- **_**Thanks so much :) **_**krhorsejumper97- **_**I do try :) **_**Zeze123 – **_**Yay! :D **_**Rowana Renee' – **_**Thanks! :D **_**waywarddaughter- **_**I do love some angst and cute Ben and Alex, maybe Ben will…or maybe he won't. **_**Little Miss Lestranged – **_**Hope you liked the chapter! **_**rose angel 428- **_**Twice there have been tricks with a bullet :) And thanks! **_**Allyxandra Hunter- **_**Thanks and I was trying to make the scene a bit different…I creeped myself out doing it. :l **_**AC a Reader and Mellorocx- **_**Thanks, I hope this pleases! **_**Maddymoo – **_**Ahh sorry bout the ending lol and thanks! **_**pistachio53- **_**I take that you liked it :) **_**La'ienth – **_**Puma isn't dead yet and escaping didn't really work out for them unfortunately. **


	18. Chapter 17

**Do I own Alex Rider – No. Do I want too- Yes! **

**P.s Hiro is Japanese, sorry for the mistake and thanks to HallowHeart for pointing it out. **

"Its time"

Alex looked at K-Unit who returned it with anxious stares. A guard went to each of them and shacked shackled them with hands behind their backs; this time even blind folded. They were led around and unknowingly to them split up. Alex thought is sounded strange when the echoes of footsteps quietened.

Suddenly the ground began to change, the cold hard surface changed to one that was ruff and gravely. It pinched at his feet and Alex was tempted to query but knew he would get no answers, more likely a hit to the head. Alex almost cried out when his foot caught on something exceptionally sharp and he was becoming increasingly sick of the blindfold, he preferred it when he could see where he was stepping.

Thankfully (or maybe not depending on how you see things) his time of wearing it came to an end and his shackles were removed. They were stood outside a wooden door and Alex looked behind him expecting to see K-Unit but seeing only the one guard. Before he had time to say something the guard grabbed a hold of his shoulder and he felt hot air puff against his ear.

"Good luck kid, you're going to need it. No one has beaten Hiro, ever"

With those reassuring words Alex was thrust through the door landing on the ground where the impact made a small puff of dust fly into the air making him cough and his eyes to water. After wiping his eyes Alex pushed himself up onto his elbows creating space between him and the dust.

He looked around and realised he was in an arena, resembling one that might have been used in roman times but with a roof hiding it from the outside world. It looked very modern, almost as if it were built just for this fight and knowing the power Kirill had that may well have been what happened. Iron bars covered the door Alex had been pushed through but he saw that the other two that were there did not, yet.

"Alex!" He heard someone call his name and his eyes trailed up to the stands which were a good few metres high making sure he could not escape up there. Ben looked down at him anxiously, being the one who called him, and the rest of K-Unit sat with him.

They still wore shackles and Alex could just see that they were attached to the seats meaning they could barely stand up. They were trapped, just like Alex.

Beside Ben Eagle decided he should give some advice to Alex, whether it was because he felt it would actually help seeing as he was the one who knew most about weapons (mainly guns though but that was beside the point) or just to feel like he'd done something he wasn't sure. Whatever it was made him feel better though.

"Remember Alex, if you feel yourself going into the defence find an opening and go back and try to get into offence and err... please try not to die" he finished weakly as he really figured out he didn't know much and he bowed his head ashamed, feeling the glares of the men beside him.

Alex just nodded and gave a small smile showing he did not mind the last statement. His mind was turned to other things as he just noticed that Kirill was also in the stands but quite a bit far away from K-Unit. He was watching Alex with an odd expression and Alex found it quite unnerving but he ignored it and spotted he hadn't actually gotten up yet.

Pushing himself up Kirill coughed to gain attention and started to speak staring straight at Alex. "Are you sure, now that you stand in the place that is sure to hold your death that you will not change your mind?"

Alex sighed, he could hear the slight desperation come through in Kirill's voice. He knew that the fact that he was killing the teen Yassen died to help must be hurting him somehow.

"I can't"

Kirill's face did not hide its disappointment and he beckoned to the door opposite Alex. "Bring him in"

The door opened and Hiro stepped through with a blank expression on his face. Like Alex, so it was fair, he wore just trousers but unlike him it looked like Hiro wouldn't need the protection, his skin seemed thick enough. Also, his well built body compared to Alex's weakened unused one showed easily who would have the advantage in this fight.

The third and last door the was in the centre between Alex and Hiro opened and two men came through holding intendical swords, kind of like the ones that would have been used a couple hundred years ago.

One of the men came up to him and passed Alex the sword. His legs almost buckled under the weight and Alex had to grab onto the metal to keep hold of it, thankfully he didn't cut himself on the instant reaction. His sprained wrist sent out a wave of pain and Alex just ignored it. Maybe it was the fact he hadn't been able to do a decent workout and he was already injured but Alex had a feeling he'd have struggled even if he was in top shape.

Hiro, on the other hand, was smiling as he tested the weight in his hands. He seemed perfectly at ease with the weapon, which was more than could be said for Alex. It almost made Alex angry at how weak he felt, he didn't like how easy this would be for Hiro. The only real chance there was of getting out of there alive now was MI6, Alex knew he couldn't beat Hiro, he would just have to try to stay alive for as long as possible. Alex thought he had half an hour at most.

The one thing he had to remember though was that he was also doing this for K-Unit; Alex got the feeling that Kirill was a man of his word and even if he wasn't, he needed to try.

"Right" Kirill's voice echoed now as he spoke louder "This is a fight to the death, there are no rules. Escape is impossible as there are guards stationed around the perimeter" His voice went quieter and his gaze fell on Alex "I am quite sure you will not survive this Alex so I will say now, farewell, maybe you will see Yassen wherever you go. If you do, tell him I hope he can forgive me for disobeying him and for this. Now…begin"

Alex turned his eyes back to Hiro whose eyes seemed to gain an unnatural gleam in them. His sword was pointed directly at Alex and he began speaking in his highly accented voice.

"Now…we…fight!"

Hiro must have been waiting for this opportunity as he left no time for the 'circle each other until one fights' type of thing, instead he positioned his sword so the point was facing the back and began running, low and fast.

Alex held up his sword and as Hiro came forward he sidestepped and the swords clashed. The weight that produced from that one technically not even blow made Alex stagger and realise maybe he would have to take the running option so there would be more time.

Alex moved back and Hiro got a side glance of him and swivelled. Dust rose into the air and Alex got an idea but he wouldn't use it until he needed too. Alex stepped backwards as far as he could for Hiro who seemed to now be making a strategy as he knew Alex wouldn't dare attack him.

He was almost gone in a blink. Alex had taken some time to get his breathing under control as he'd noticed it had become quicker and closed his eyes briefly. When he'd opened them Hiro was no longer standing where he was and Alex just missed a blow that if he hadn't ducked would have sliced of his head.

A roll moved him from another attack and Alex groaned when his damaged back and shoulders hit the floor. Sand now covered him and Alex shook it off as he ran to the other side of the arena, conveniently placed under K-Unit who started shouting all sorts of encouragement that sounded like "You can do it" and "Kick his Japanese ass back to Japan!"

Alex just inclined his head and dashed to the side as Hiro came forward. It was surprising at how agile he was considering his body but maybe years of training had taught him how to control it better. He moved just as agile as Alex might have been able to and quicker than he thought was possible.

This time Alex could not dodge the swing and had to hit the sword face on which when it connected sent such a large vibration down his arms that he groaned and gritted his teeth.

Hiro laughed and carried on swinging leaving Alex only to try and block which in his defence he was doing quite well. Unfortunately as the hits came Alex was forced to take one step back and soon he found himself with his back against the wall. Now if Hiro came forward with more swings he would not be able to back out and at the pace he was now doing it there was not the option of moving out of it.

It was time to use his plan and Alex ducked down from a swing and grabbed some of the sand. He went back up and threw it in Hiro's face, aiming for the eyes. Alex smiled as Hiro gave a short howl as the dust hit him straight in the eyes blinding him and giving Alex the opportunity he needed to move out.

Cheers came and as he got through Alex took the opportunity while Hiro was trying to get the dust out as quick as possible to cut Hiro's arm intending the make it useless for fighting but Hiro hid back from the blade the moment it touched. The damage was quite bad but not as Alex had intended and now Hiro seemed angry. The happiness of the fight had turned into anger for letting himself get injured by a 14 year old boy.

Alex never stood a chance.

The blows were coming stronger and heavier each time and Alex was being back lower and back each time. Soon he was bending right back and couldn't stop parts of the sword catching his skin making his torso and arms covered in red patches. Alex could feel unwanted tears run down his cheek as the stinging intensified.

Suddenly Alex was not backed onto the floor and he found himself with his sword horizontal against his body blocking Hiro's sword which was trying to push into his chest with at the force it was going would surely kill him.

Alex felt the pain in his arms flare and his arms were going down a bit each minute. It dawned on him that he may not get out of this and in a few minutes he could be dead. He could free himself as Hiro's knee's pinned his legs and his hands were busy holding the sword.

His elbows dipped a few centimetres.

He'd see Jack though. Would she be mad at him for getting her killed or happy too see him? Well she'd probably be mad at first but she never could hold a grudge against him, others yes, but never him.

They were getting closer and closer to the ground.

Wait…that would mean he'd also get too see his parents and Ian…even Ash. Alex just noticed how many people had died for him and how four more would be next. Maybe he deserved to die, that way no one else could get hurt. Maybe this was good, maybe this was all he was meant to do.

It was only a matter of seconds now.

He'd done a lot, saved the world seven times. Had to be a record right? But then again who would ever hear of it. MI6 would just cover the story up, that was if they found out he was dead. He wouldn't put it past Blunt to take a glance then forget about him forever cos that's all he was. A person to remember when the time arose.

3

Stupid

2

Selfish

1

MI6!

Alex shut his eyes.

BANG

The ground shook and Alex opened his eyes. He wasn't dead yet!

Hiro force had lessened and Alex saw he was searching for the source of the noise and he lifted his head at the same time Hiro noticed the giant gaping hole in the wall. Filing out were units that looked like a mix of SAS and agents there was about twenty of each. From the corner of his eye he noticed Kirill stand up a mixture of shock and fury on his face. He whispered something in a guard who had come next to him and then took off out of the arena.

Hiro seemed to regain his senses and Alex was brought back to the fight as the sword was lifted up and ready to plunge down right into his heart.

Alex had no time to block, partly because his arms had turned to jelly and he waited to feel the pain but instead he heard a scream and saw that someone had hit Hiro round the head. Alex looked to see who it was and it was a panting Ben looking very pleased with himself.

"Need a hand?" he asked offering his hand.

Alex smiled and grabbed on allowing his body to be lifted up. He would have collapsed at the sudden weight being put on his legs if not for Ben holding on to him and Alex saw what was truly going on. The amount of guards Kirill had seemed to have doubled and come into the arena so there were fights going on everywhere and Alex was faintly sure there would be around the area of the bomb.

"You did great you know, good thinking with the sand"

Ben's quiet voice interrupted his viewing and Alex turned his head and said "Thanks, now what do we do"

Ben frowned. "First things first we've got to get you out of here"

Alex nodded and gently stopped leaning on Ben and found he could support himself again.

"The others have stayed to fight so it'll just be me covering you, be careful" Ben warned.

They made there way through the arena slowly avoiding any fights. Thankfully when any of the enemy spotted them one of the SAS or MI6 were there to distract them. It wasn't long before the sand was covered in red and the sound of bullets and shouting ricocheted in the air. It was a fully fledged battle field and Alex was glad when they'd got through the hole the bomb made no more harmed than they were before.

"We should be able to find the entrance by the marks they've left" Ben said looking the various dents made in the floor.

There were various fights going on around the path they were taking which did showed they were going the right way. There were also some people running past them to the action in the arena. Over all it was pretty safe.

That changed.

Two men came charging through a gap carrying guns and stopped in front of Alex and Ben.

"Alex, run"

"But" The men lifted their guns.

"NOW!"

Alex ran back as Ben pushed him and he felt the heat of bullets skid past him. One almost hit him in the shoulder but he looked back just in time too avoid it and see Ben tackling the two men to the ground. He turned the corner and stopped. Should he wait for Ben?

He would have if not for the bullets that had started again. Dents in the wall followed him as he carried on running. Even though part way through they had stopped Alex carried on until he slammed into something, or rather…someone.

"Excuse me Alex"

Alex feet himself moved back by a hand and he saw it belonged to Kirill.

"You're beat, you might as well give up" Alex told him.

Kirill swivelled around. "Ah Alex, you should know by now. I always have a back up"

Alex frowned "What?"

"Right now there is a device counting down. When it reaches zero it will release a toxic gas which will spread through the building quickly. All it takes is one breath of the gas to kill someone"

"But that would mean killing every one inside! What about your men!"

"It is a small price to pay to kill the others. I assume you will try and find this device. It's too late but seeing as you are edging to go. Goodbye"  
Kirill turned again and walked away quickly. Alex knew he could be lying, there was always the possibility as he had thought before but also like then he didn't think he was lying. That meant he had to go quick. Kirill hadn't said how long it would countdown for so he knew he couldn't risk dawdling.

Speeding down the corridors Alex came across and looked in many empty rooms. None of them were locked, maybe they had been deactivated, which meant he could do it quickly but it was still worrying. Any minute he could be dead. He might not even realise he was breathing it in.

It was the eighth door he'd tried when he saw it. All there was in the room was a table, chair, flickering light and a small black box with numbers counting down in red.

Alex almost leapt for the device which was at the time 4:31 and going down. He was about to press the button when he felt his body being pushed to the side.

Alex landed on the floor hitting his head. It took a few moments to regain his senses and when he did he was being lifted up by the throat with strong hands squeezing his windpipe.

Alex saw the face of the one holding him and was shocked to see Hiro staring at him with such pure hatred. He was snarling as he tightened his grip and Alex started to splutter, black dots covering his eyes.

Knowing he had to do something Alex pushed back on the wall and jumped up to use both his legs to push Hiro off him. Thrown of by the attack Hiro let go and Alex coughed as he rubbed his neck.

Hiro growled and reached forward trying to grab Alex again and Alex sidestepped and shoved Hiro into the wall increasing his momentum. Hiro lurched forward and crashed into the wall giving Alex time to get the small machine. The time had gone down and he had two minutes. He was almost there when he fell feeling a hand around his ankle.

Alex was getting dragged back and he was desperately trying to unhook the hold on his ankle. Time seemed to be going down quicker and Alex couldn't let it reach zero, he couldn't.

Letting himself be pulled back further Alex found the right opportunity to kick back into Hiro's face. The grasp was still on his ankle.

52 seconds. Alex tried again and again.

30

Hiro's face seemed to be made of stone. Alex tried one last time and the grip left his ankle.

10

Scrambling up Alex jumped to the device and tried to find the button to turn it off.

5

Where was it??? **(AN I know I've done this previously but both seemed like good times to do it)**

3

Crap, crap, crap.

2

There it was!!

1…Alex pushed the button and the number froze on 1.

"YES!" Alex shouted and turned. The moment he did he felt a sudden sharp pain in his stomach. He looked down and felt his skin go white. Sticking out of his stomach was a sword.

**Oh yeah! Finally written it! I planned that sword thing quite a few chapters ago and finally written it (aren't I so cruel to Alex!)! And guess what; finally found the traffic page which shows all the stats and woah you guys!! 29,337 hits, 111 favs (triple 1 :D) and 191 alerts. I'm even on a forum and I didn't realise! I also have people reading from countries I've never even heard off! Thanks you guys sooooo much it was such a shock to know so many people were reading!!**

**Anyway after that fantastic moment I guess I'll go on a lower note and say maybe last chapter wasn't so great showing stats and reviews. I hope this chap makes up, maybe I was having a bad writing time as I only got 2 reviews for my latest chap of Dares as well. **

**Reason for lateness is tests and most important deciding options for GCSE. I've finally decided to take Triple Science, Music, Sociology and French. Quite a good combo if you ask me. Cant wait! So, onto shoutouts!**

_**krhorsejumper97 - **_**Here it is…with another cliffie! **_**32-sta r- **_**Guess you could say he lost? :( **_**rose angel 428 – **_**Thanks and no it does not! :D **_**EriKaDalBel – **_**Haha thanks!! Hadn't even tried to be funny :) **_**marisje – **_**Thanks and I am trying to think of a sequel cos even I cant give this up that easy :( **_**Maddymoo –**_** Here's the next part! :D **_**HallowHeart- **_**Yes thanks for that :) **_**FCgrl – **_**Wow, thanks!! **_**La'ienth – **_**Thanks! I hoped I'd done well on that!!! **_**LttlBlcKitty**_** – Here it is :) **

**I must also say, only 1 chap left (well that's what I'm planning) :( I will miss this so much so idea's for the sequel are welcome, I am still trying to come up with something. **


	19. Chapter 18 Final

**Disclaimer – If only he would be willing to sell…**

The funeral was short and quite empty. The only ones who there were K-Unit, Ben, Tom, Sabina and Mrs. Jones. Blunt had obviously been too busy.

The priest spoke words of God as each member watched in sadness while the coffin was brought through.

Sabina stifled a cry and buried her face in Tom's shoulder who gave an awkward look then patted her on the back gently. Snake put his arm round Ben who gave a small nod and sighed. Wolf had dropped the 'I'm a big tough guy' act and a lone tear drop fell down his cheek and Eagle was just letting lose the tears. Mrs. Jones was not crying, but her lips were formed into an upset frown.

"We commit this body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust"

The coffin was lowered into the ground and each person took their turn to drop a handful of dirt on it. Going back to their positions each person took the time to reflect on how they had failed Alex. K-Unit for not going with Ben to save Alex. Ben for not getting there in time. Sabina for not staying in England and maybe keeping him from his MI6 life. Tom for not putting a stop to it by telling the authorities and Mrs. Jones, well, enough said.

Two men came forward with shovels and started filling the hole and everyone said silent goodbyes.

The service ended and Ben took the time to read the gravestone while he laid a white lily in front of it.

_Alex Rider_

_June 22__nd__ 1995 – March 13__th__ 2010 _

_Loving friend and comrade. A boy with a brave heart. A True Hero. _

Ben smiled as he wondered what Alex might have thought about the words. He just see him now, criticizing the word 'loving' and mocking Ben for all it was worth. It hurt him to remember once again he would never hear that voice again.

Taking a deep breathe Ben got back up and took one last look at the gravestone. K-Unit and the others had gone inside as rain had started to pour down.

"Goodbye Alex, I hope you're happy, with your family. But I hope you knew, you always had a family here as well"

**And now the real chapter ;)**

_Beep…beep….beep_

The soft noise both reassured and saddened Ben as he looked at the pale boy hidden

beneath an array of wires and a sea of white. If it weren't for the constant beep showing each breath one would think the boy was dead.

He rubbed his eyes getting the sleep out of them and his eyes started to droop.

"Fox, get some rest" Ben jerked as he looked at his old Unit Leader Wolf who was lying in the bed next to Alex, also looking pale.

During the battle in the arena a bullet had managed to get inside his calf and before going down Wolf had managed to kill the man who did it but he had to be carried out quick before he lost too much blood. In Wolf's opinion it had been worth it.

"But what if he wakes up?" Ben asked slightly worried.

"Then we'll be here" a soft Scottish voice answered "And yes, we will call you if he does"

Snake got up from the chair he'd resided in beside Wolf's bed to get up and lead

Ben out of the room. He knew he was doing the right thing, Ben needed to sleep; the dark bags under his eyes spoke for themselves.

Ben sighed as the door closed behind him. It had been two days since the arena and two days since he'd found Alex stabbed through the stomach by Hiro. He remembered the time with distaste.

It hadn't taken long for him to disenable the guards and after he'd set on finding Alex. He wasn't sure what he wasn't expecting to see when he did but it didn't take long for him to punch Hiro into unconsciousness. Ben had carried Alex out seeing that he didn't have long unless he got some help and thankfully he came across some friends and they showed him the way out quickly and safely.

An ambulance was waiting outside and once he was sure Alex would get there safely (Ben himself didn't need extreme medical attention) he had done something quite drastic. He had been thinking about it while they were captured and when he was free it was the first thing he did. It wasn't hard due to his job and Ben left the building happy but also nervous. It was the reason he wanted to be there when Alex woke up. **(Know where I'm going with this? (; )**

Back in present time Ben was coming out from a shower after a good rest. He still felt slightly tired but much better than before. Once he was dressed he would be able to go back to the hospital. Under the circumstances the hospital didn't mind him not just going through visiting hours, the same with Snake and Eagle. In fact, they seemed rather pleased that Alex would have more security.

Ben pulled on a fresh shirt and he was done. Grabbing the car keys he went on the longish journey to St. Dominic's hospital, the place where MI6 always used for their injured agents. Ben himself had only been there a few times but he knew enough that it must be a frequent location for Alex.

He remembered the last time he had been there, just after they had found him an inch from death, now it was happening again, and maybe it had happened more. Hopefully what he had done would stop it.

The automatic door opened and Ben stepped into the entrance. Somehow he wasn't surprised to see Mrs Jones waiting sitting on one of the chairs, it had been two days after all.

"Mrs. Jones" Ben nodded to her on his way in hoping with all his might she wouldn't follow him.

But of course. She did.

"Agent Daniels…Ben" she remembered that there were some people here who didn't know that this was a place for agents "Stop. We need to talk"

Ben pursed his lips. "We can walk and talk" he said and started a slow walk allowing her to catch up with him.

"I know what you've done" she started.

Ben sighed "I had to"

"I know and I actually have come to thank you for it"

"Really?" Ben was honestly shocked. "Why…" He was cut off when his phone started to vibrate. He quickly grabbed it from his pocket and looked at him ignoring the disapproving looks from members of staff.

**He is strtin 2 wke up **

"Excuse me for a moment"

Ben walked quickly to the room leaving Mrs. Jones standing in the hall and opened the door. Sure enough Alex was beginning to stir. The fog on the mask that was placed over his mouth and nose fogged slightly as Alex began to breathe quicker and his chest was moving faster.

Noticing he would wake up in slight panic if nothing was done Ben went over and rubbed Alex comfortingly on the arm.

Snake also came a bit closer and pressed the button to call the doctor. In hardly any time at all Doctor Wells came in and immediately started checking the machines.

"Hmm he's woken up a bit quicker than expected…" He started mumbling under his breathe and Wolf, getting annoyed, asked "What's going on?"

"We didn't expect him to wake so soon so right now I'm going to up his pain killers regardless of the stupid 'he'll get addicted' rule of keeping it low. Waking up now, he'll need it. A wound like that comes with a heavy price"

Doctor Wells finished speaking and he took a few more looks at the readings. Alex was still stirring but had not fully woken up yet. Ben's actions seemed to have calmed him down and soon Alex's eyes started fluttering. Alex's breathing started to quicken again and Doctor Well's mouthed that it was normal.

* * *

_Alex's POV _

He…wasn't dead?

Alex was slowly coming into consciousness and that was the first thing he thought. Although there was no intense pain there was a dull throb in the centre of his stomach, the place he'd been stabbed. Alex added it to the list of injuries he'd gotten over the past year.

There was no doubt in his mind where he was. It had only been what…two, three weeks since the last time he'd been there. At that Alex felt a bit of shock at that realisation. Had it really only been a few weeks, it must have been but so much had gone on it felt like at least a few months or something.

Alex's thought train was broken when he regained more feeling in the rest of his body. He could just about feel something warm touching his arm. It felt comforting and he felt his body relax, almost like he could fall asleep again. But no, he had the feeling he'd been asleep enough so he forced his eyes open. It took a few times before they were properly open and he could see the bright light of the hospital room ceiling.

"Hey Alex, how're you doing?"

Alex moved his eyes and saw Ben staring down at him a smile on his face.

He tried to answer but the oxygen mask on his face wouldn't allow it.

"I'll take that off for you" Alex briefly glimpsed Doctor Wells come forward and gently remove the oxygen mask. He took a small gulp off air (knowing he might choke if he took a long one) and answered "I'm guessing I'd be in a lot of pain if not for the pain killers" he answered in a small voice.

Ben just made him smile a little sadder and started to give Alex some water to loosen his throat. Alex drank it slowly and felt better and his head was laid back on the pillow. He suddenly thought of something and asked "Is everyone ok?!"

Ben chuckled and said "Look around"

Alex looked to see Snake grinning at him from a chair and Wolf from a bed. He gave a questioning look to Wolf.

Wolf saw and answered nonchalantly "Bullet in the leg, nothing really"

Alex's eyes winded and he slumped back. "Eagle?"

"He's…" Snake was cut off when Eagle barged through the door panting.

"Sorry…I'm…late" he puffed and then noticed Alex and his face lit up "Hey…C...Alex…you…ok? I'm…just…gonna…sit down"

Eagle practically fell into a spare chair, his face bright red. It was obvious he had run to the hospital.

"Way to make an entrance Eagle" commented Wolf smiling slightly.

"Sorry…was…at Starbucks" he said closing his eyes and doing breathing techniques.

"And you didn't bring any for us" said Snake in mock sadness.

Everyone laughed except for Alex who realised laughing created a bit more pain in his stomach. He settled for a snicker instead. Once the laughter died Ben cleared his throat.

"Err listen guys I kind of have something to tell you, but mainly you Alex"

Alex looked up at Ben. He sounded so serious Alex wondered how bad the news would be. "What?"  
"Um well" Wow this was harder than he thought. "Alex, you know the MI6 were you legal guardians…"  
"Yeah…"Wait, did Ben just say were?

"Well I wasn't really sure that was such a good idea so I well..I"

"Fox you didn't!" Snake exclaimed interrupting Ben who gave a guilty look. He knew Snake had guessed it so he nodded.

"Are you mad!" he almost shouted and Ben was about to retaliate when Alex cried.

"Will someone tell me what is going on?" His face creased as he used his stomach muscles and he glared at the men.

"Sorry Alex" said Ben ashamed. "I'll just say it. After the fight I…I adopted you. You are now legally Alex Daniels or Alex Rider-Daniels or whatever you want to be called but Daniels is the legal name"  
Alex didn't know what to say. Ben had adopted him? Was it some kind of joke? No. It didn't look like a joke judging by everyone's faces which probably matched his. But, why would he adopt him? Was it out of pity or did he really want to help Alex.

"Say something Alex"

"Huh" Alex didn't realise he'd been so quiet for so long so just asked "Why?"

"I've seen what MI6 have done to you and once your time with us would up I wouldn't want to think what they'd do with you. Your missions would probably be increased and no child should be put in that amount of danger. Also, you've grown on me kid. I know it might be hard but I want to keep you safe and this way you won't have to be alone any more"

Alex fell into a time of shock as he let the information process through his brain and K-Unit started questioning him.

"Why didn't you tell us?! asked Wolf angry at the secret kept from him.

"Well sorry but you were a bit busy getting your leg fixed up and I didn't want you guys trying to talk me out of it or something"

He got confused stairs from that.

"You thought we'd talk you out of it?" said Eagle.

Ben shrugged and looked at Alex again. It seemed in the short space of time he'd been talking with K-Unit he'd fallen asleep. Doctor Wells had also disappeared.

"So, a son eh? Look at Fox, a dad. What're MI6 gonna say bout this" grinned Wolf.

"MI6…Oh yeah!"

Ben hurried out of the room and found Mrs. Jones sitting down back in the entrance.

"Err sorry bout that. Anyway, why are you happy?"

"It's alright. As I was saying, although Mr. Blunt isn't too pleased I'm glad that Alex has someone. Even though you may not believe it I do hold some guilt about what we have done to Alex and I'm glad he has someone to care for him"

"What about missions though cos I tell you I am going to put a stop to those"

Mrs. Jones sighed. "I've said it before and I shall say it again, Alex is one of our most valuable agents. Letting him go like that won't be easy but maybe I can convince Alan not to use him as much"

"No Mrs. Jones, I mean it. He won't be doing any more missions. I am going to try to keep him from them"

"What will you do when you are needed for a mission then? K-Unit are going to be needed back for duty once Mr. Lobezno's leg has healed"

"I have people I can call"

Mrs. Jones pursed her lips. "Well then I will bid you goodbye. But trust me Daniels, Alex was made for this and letting go of it won't be so easy"

Mrs Jones got up and walked away from Ben just missing him mumble "We'll see about that"

Ben went back to the hospital room and over the next weeks both Alex and Wolf recovered and soon both of them were able to be released. Much to Alex's secret delight he was able to be wheeled out of the hospital in a wheel chair but he left it when they got to the car. Alex gently pulled the seatbelt across and his new adopted father started the engine.

"So Alex, this is where you properly start life as my son. You sure you're still happy about it?"

Alex had already had to convince Ben he was pleased that he was his father. the day after he'd been told he had resented it a little bit, another choice that had been made for him but once Ben had promised his about the missions and why he did it Alex had none left.

He knew it would be strange and a little trying at times seeing as it was now a permanent fixture but they could overcome it. K-Unit would be staying for a while until Wolf's leg was completely healed and then they would be spending a few months going to Breacon and back so they can get a new team mate (who will be properly checked) and learn to work with them.

Alex smiled as the scenery went past them and they pulled into the car park. Today was finally the day he could start life as Alex Rider-Daniels.

**Well, it's finally finished. Omg I'm seriously sad now but I know there will be a sequel, I have some things ready for it but the plan still needs work. So, I thank absolutely everyone who stuck with this story and gave me the push to write and finish my first long length story. You guys rock!!!!**

**So, I've finally read crocodile tears and wow, that rocked too! So I know there are some unanswered questions but they will be revealed in the sequel and I have a feeling it will be called 'To be a Son' but it is a WIP. **

**21 Reviews last chapter, Wow!! I had many plea's of don't kill Alex and one actually asking for it so that is why I put that lil trick up at the top. You got both ^ ^. And I have found out I do not have the attention span to proof read, tried…after one page got very bored so sorry bout that. Anyway, onto last shout-outs, for reviews for this I will PM my thanks and they will probs be more detailed as it wont waste space on a chapter!! **

_**IcePrincess89023**_**- Hope you enjoyed it! **_**EriKaBalDel**_**- Hiro wasn't using the sword and when Alex had his back turned Hiro grabbed the sword so when Alex turned around Hiro just shoved it straight through him. Easier to watch than write and also Alex didn't have a whole lot of strength so it would have taken longer. Thanks for reviewing! **_**krhorsejumper97**_**- Haha :D **_**red rose of love- **_**I thought it was too, I tried not to make it one but oh well and thanks! **_**fadamaja- **_**Here it is! **_**marisje- **_**Ha it's ok :) **_**baldy911- **_**Thanks so much :D **_**sabsi- **_**Thank youu!! Here it is! **_**Little Miss Lestranged – **_**I'm sorry!!! I've updated! **_**C.J.0608- **_**Well I did both versions and thanks! **_**ImpALEd- **_**Yes I am cruel to Alex :( **_**Pendragon.P a s s i o n. – **_**A sequel is in progress! And thanks!! **_**waywarddaughter- **_**Alex angst is my favourite :) **_**FCgrl – **_**Thanks about the choices! And also thanks for the review, I do love my cliffie's! :D **_**Maddymoo- **_**Ha thanks :) **_**Le Sang De La Morte – **_**Ooo cool! I would love to learn Japanese. Anyway thanks! :D **_**Iamawsome- **_**You gave me the inspiration do the lil trick at the top :) Blade- Here it is! **_**rose angel 428- **_**How bout now ? :) **_**NienkevH- **_**Thanks! **_**RaraJay- **_**That was a good idea but I did have the real part of the chapter planned. And thanks so much for the nice comments!!! **_**La'ienth- **_**Thanks so much!! I'm glad you liked it!!!**

**Thanks again to all who reviewed and now I want to know what would you like to see in the sequel, I may put a poll up later but random ideas very welcome, maybe they are ideas you like but don't feel you could write yourselves? I dunno but anyway I'm not sure when the sequel will come out. Maybe a month so I can get everything properly planned. And also work on some neglected stories. **

**YOU GUYS RULE! **


	20. Sequel

**Sequel is now up :D It's called To Be A Son!**


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